TOP SPIN AT THE TEST: Stuart Broad collects his 19th Test five-for – and EIGHTH against the Aussies – on his recall… but the day goes to Usman Khawaja, who continued his SCG love-in against England
- Stuart Broad collected his 19th five-wicket haul in Test cricket for England
- It’s also his eighth against Australia, placing him fourth on England’s all-time list
- But the day goes to Usman Khawaja, who hit a huge 137 as the hosts took control
Stuart Broad turned his sense of injustice into an Ashes five-for on his recall in Sydney but it was an Australian with a point to prove who claimed the spotlight on day two of the fourth Test.
Usman Khawaja has waited almost two and a half years to earn a recall in the Baggy Green, and only got it thanks to Travis Head’s Covid-19 diagnosis, but he marked his SCG homecoming with a superb 137 as the hosts took control with a score of 416 for eight declared.
Here, Sportsmail‘s LAWRENCE BOOTH provides us with a look back on the day’s biggest talking points.
Stuart Broad claimed a five-wicket haul for England during the second day of the fourth Test
Stuart Broad collected his 19th five-wicket haul in Tests, a tally surpassed by only two other England bowlers: Jimmy Anderson has taken 31 and SF Barnes 24.
It was also his eighth five-for against Australia, which places him fourth on England’s all-time list, behind Barnes (with 12), the 19th-century seamer Tom Richardson (11) and Ian Botham (nine).
Broad (centre right) collected his 19th five-wicket haul in Test cricket for England on Thursday
And it was his first five-for in Australia since beginning the 2013-14 series with six for 81 at the Gabba, when the local media – still outraged by his failure to walk for a catch a few months earlier at Trent Bridge – refused to use his name in print, instead referring him to ‘the English medium-pacer’.
Usman Khawaja will always think fondly of playing England at the SCG. He made his Test debut here against them in 2010-11, and four years ago scored 171. His 137 here took his home Ashes average to 52, as opposed to 19 in England.
However, the day belonged to Usman Khawaja, who will always think fondly of playing England at the SCG after his superb 137
After making an unbeaten 34, Australian No 9 Mitchell Starc raised his series aggregate to 151 runs – higher than any England player bar Joe Root and Dawid Malan. Since Starc has been dismissed only twice, he is also averaging over 75.