Usman Khawaja marked his comeback with a brilliant century to put Australia in a position of dominance on Day 2. They declared on 416/8 before England closed the day on 13/0.
Khawaja scored a gritty 137, while Steven Smith got 67. Both were dismissed by Stuart Broad, who finished with five wickets – though he went for 3.50 runs per over.
The conditions have largely been unfavourable for swing and seam movement, but the inconsistency in bounce has increased with every passing session. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins will start the attack with a ball that is just five years old, and negotiating them would be far from easy for the English openers.
The SCG pitch has not really been favoured the spinners some time. Nathan Lyon, whose 38 wickets in 11 games have come at an average of over 40, is unlikely to pose much threat, particularly if frequent rain breaks allows the fast bowlers to get much-needed breathers.
The English openers need to provide the team with a decent start. As per Accuweather, rain and thunderstorms might delay or even wash out the first two sessions.
Betway Fantasy Tips
- Joe Root and Dawid Malan are two batters you must pick for your team.
- Mitchell Starc would have had Zak Cawley on Day 3 had he not overstepped. Expect Starc to get early breakthroughs.