Ashes 2023: Australia's Usman Khawaja holds firm as match heads towards climax

Usman Khawaja held firm after an England double strike to give Australia hope of victory on a tense final day of the first Ashes Test at EdgbastonAfter Tuesdays morning session was washed out by rain Australia lost both nightwatchman Scott Boland and frontline batsman Travis Head when play finally got underwayBut at tea Australia were 1835 needing a further 98 runs to reach a target of 281 with 38 overs remaining in the last sessionLefthanded opener Khawaja who ended his decadelong wait for an Ashes hundred in England with 141 in the first innings was 56 not out and allrounder Cameron Green unbeaten on 22 in an unbroken stand of 40Australia resumed on 1073 after veteran England seamer Stuart Broad had removed Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith the worlds two topranked Test batsmen late on Mondays fourth dayBut Khawaja was still there on 34 and by taking guard on Tuesday the 36yearold became only the second Australian after Kim Hughes at Lords in 1980 to bat on all five days of a TestBoland sent in as nightwatchman on Monday had already surpassed his previous highest Test score when on 20 he fell to Broad driving at a swinging delivery only to be caught behindBut with Australia on 1214 and the sun starting to break through the clouds Boland had done his job with the bat on a pitch previously labelled soulless by Broad Broad went round the wicket to Khawaja and almost beat him with a yorkerEngland did have another wicket when Moeen Ali struggling with a finger injury struck on his Birmingham home ground Moeens first ball of the day a rank long hop was pulled for four by Travis Head But his fifth was a classic offspinning delivery to the lefthander taking the outside edge on its way to Joe Root at slip as a near capacity crowd erupted in celebration at Heads exit for 16The wicket reduced Australia to 1435 rewarding the faith of England captain Ben Stokes in Moeen who had been recalled after nearly two years of redball retirement following a seriesending injury to firstchoice spinner Jack LeachKhawaja however held firm against an England attack lacking an express fast bowler to complete a 143ball fifty including seven fours Australia are bidding for a first Ashes series win in England in 22 years with England aiming for a first Test campaign victory over their arch rivals since 2015Also Read I was just a bit more emotional KhawajaThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever