Opener Usman Khawaja scored an unbeaten 84 to help Australia revive their first innings as the visitors reached 188/4 at tea on Day 2 of the opening Ashes Test at Edgbaston on Saturday. Australia still trailed the hosts England by 205 runs in the contest.
Australia lost Travis Head, who smashed a quick 50 off 63 balls with the help of a six and 8 fours, in the post-lunch session, after the batter added a valuable 81 runs for the fourth wicket with Khawaja. The duo rebuilt their innings after they lost Steve Smith (16), Marnus Labuschagne (0) and David Warner (9) in the morning session.
Ben Stokes had secured the prized wicket of talisman Smith to leave Australia struggling on 78/3 at lunch, following Stuart Broad's two wickets in two balls to remove Warner and Labuschagne.
Khawaja, helped by Head, helped keep England at bay however, leaving the first Test tantalisingly poised with one session of the second day still to come.
Saturday's overcast conditions early on at Edgbaston favoured swing bowlers, movement that opener Warner could not handle as he played onto his stumps having scored nine - falling to Broad for the 15th time in his Test career.
Veteran Broad swung another into Labuschagne the very next ball, catching the edge of the top-ranked Test cricketer's bat, with the catch brilliantly taken by Jonny Bairstow behind the stumps. It was Labuschagne's first-ever golden duck in international Test cricket.
Smith then fell relatively cheaply just before lunch to the pace of Stokes for 16.
But Head released the shackles for Australia after the break as conditions stayed more sunny and favourable for batting, targeting the bowling of Moeen Ali especially. He failed to get hold of one on-side drive, however, and Zak Crawley took a fine catch to end his innings.
Cameron Green looked shaky after coming to the crease but eased into the match and stayed alongside Khawaja, who has already amassed his highest ever score in England.
(With inputs from Reuters)
