Sydney
\nUsman Khawaja scored a memorable century on his return to Test cricket to strengthen Australia\u2019s position in the fourth Ashes Test in Sydney after a double-wicket breakthrough by Stuart Broad on Thursday.
\nThe Pakistan-born Khawaja, playing his first Test since the 2019 Ashes series in England in place of Covid-isolated Travis Head, was at his unflappable best in notching an unbeaten hundred to put Australia in charge at 321 for six at tea.
\nKhawaja went to the break unconquered on 102 off 202 balls with skipper Pat Cummins on 15.
\nThe elegant 35-year-old left-hander looked likely to be going to tea on the dreaded 99 before he was given the strike by Cummins and then whipped spinner Jack Leach to deep backward square for three to bring up his ninth Test hundred.
\nHis well-received century followed 171 against England in Sydney in 2018, on a ground where he played his early cricket before moving to Queensland.
\nKhawaja had a let-off on 28 before lunch when Joe Root fumbled a good chance at slip from the bowling of Leach and he went on to punish the beleaguered tourists.
\nKhawaja\u2019s nick deflected off wicketkeeper Jos Buttler\u2019s gloves but Root at slip had time to react and get his hands in the right place. But the chance went begging, much to Leach\u2019s anguish.
\nKhawaja\u2019s patient knock stabilized the Australian first innings after Broad had knocked over Steve Smith and Cameron Green in a double breakthrough after lunch.
\nBroad struck twice with the second new ball, removing the dangerous Smith for 67 and young all-rounder Green for five.
\nBroad, following up on his 13th Test dismissal of \u2018bunny\u2019 David Warner on the opening day, was denied when reviewing a close lbw shout when Smith did not offer a shot just a few balls before getting him caught behind in the same over.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sydney Usman Khawaja scored a memorable century on his return to Test cricket to strengthen Australia\u2019s position in the fourth Ashes Test in Sydney after a double-wicket breakthrough by Stuart Broad on Thursday. The Pakistan-born Khawaja, playing his first Test since the 2019 Ashes series in England in place of Covid-isolated Travis Head, was at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":237388,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1602,1336,2695],"class_list":{"0":"post-237375","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-century","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-usman-khawaja"},"yoast_head":"\n