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Australia recovered from initial setbacks and scored 326 runs for eight wickets on the first day of the third Ashes Test cricket match against England here on Wednesday. When Carey came out to bat, Australia’s score was 94 runs for four wickets. He faced 143 balls and scored 106 runs.
New DelhiWith the help of wicketkeeper batsman Alex Carey’s third career century and Usman Khawaja’s brilliant inning of 82 runs, who made his place in the team at the last minute due to Steve Smith being unwell, Australia recovered from the initial shock and scored 326 runs for eight wickets on the first day of the third Ashes Test cricket match against England here on Wednesday, Playing on his home ground, Carey stepped onto the crease at a time when Australia, who came to bat first after winning the toss, was at 94 runs for four wickets, He faced 143 balls and scored 106 runs which included eight fours and one six,
Earlier, Khawaja played an important role in recovering Australia from the initial setbacks. The experienced batsman was hastily included in the team after Smith was ruled out due to ill health on the eve of his 39th birthday. Khawaja came out to bat at number four. When he was playing on five runs, he got a lease of life. He took full advantage of it and made two important partnerships of 61 runs with Marnus Labuschagne (19) and 91 runs with Carey. Carey made a partnership of 59 runs with Josh English (32) and 50 runs with the returning captain Pat Cummins (13) in this match.
Carry-Khwaja’s trouble-shooting partnership
Carey and Khawaja batted brilliantly and largely ensured Australia’s victory on the first day of the match. Both of them lost their wickets by playing slog-sweep shots. Khawaja played a slog-sweep shot on Jacques’ ball which went straight into the hands of Josh Tong in the outfield, then Carey also caught wicketkeeper Jamie Smith while attempting a slog-sweep on the same spinner. England took two wickets each in the opening overs in the morning and afternoon sessions. Archer broke his 33-run partnership for the first wicket with Travis Head (10) by dismissing Jake Weatherald (18) in the ninth over. He dismissed Labuschagne and Cameron Green (0) in the first over after lunch, taking Australia’s score to 94 runs for four wickets.
archer’s storm
When Australia’s new opening pair of Head and Weatherold was progressing smoothly, Archer dismissed Weatherold on the second ball of his fifth over. The ball thrown at a speed of approximately 148 km per hour (92 mph) took the upper edge of the bat and bounced in the air and was easily caught behind the wicket. Carnes dismissed Head in the next over, reducing Australia’s score to 33 runs for two wickets. Head tried to drive but Jack Crawley ended his innings with a brilliant catch at short cover.
Khawaja also would have returned to the pavilion soon but Harry Brook dropped his catch in the 16th over. He took advantage of this and batted fluently and hit 10 fours in his innings. Players of both teams wore black armbands in honor of the 15 people killed and those injured in the attack on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday. This attack was targeted at the Jewish community celebrating the beginning of Hanukkah.
Carey-Khawaja’s brilliant batting
