Khawaja grabs lifeline as Australia reach 94-2 in 3rd Ashes Test / Photo: William WEST - AFP
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Khawaja grabs lifeline as Australia reach 94-2 in 3rd Ashes Test
England claimed two wickets in an absorbing opening session at the third Ashes Test against Australia in Adelaide Wednesday before a stoic Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne dug in.
Batting after captain Pat Cummins won the toss on a hot morning, the hosts were 94-2 at lunch after the shock news that Steve Smith had been ruled out with illness.
Smith, who has more than 10,000 runs, had been feeling unwell in the lead-up but was initially named in the starting side.
His absence gave an unexpected lifelife to 38-year-old Khawaja, who was overlooked as opener in favour of Travis Head and Jake Weatherald.
Khawaja, who missed the Brisbane second Test after suffering back spasms in Perth, was unbeaten at the break on a battling 41 after getting a life when dropped on five.
Weatherald fell for 18 and Head for 10, with Brydon Carse and Jofra Archer sharing the spoils.
Labuschagne was not out 19 with players wearing black armbands in tribute to victims of the Bondi Beach mass shooting.
A moment of silence was held before the game with security tightened at a packed Adelaide Oval where flags were flying at half-mast.
In a sombre start to the first major sporting event in Australia since Sunday's attack left 15 dead and dozens wounded, both sides bowed their heads at Adelaide Oval in tribute to the victims.
Singer-songwriter John Williamson led a moving rendition of his popular "True Blue", which portrays Australians from all backgrounds sharing the same hopes and aspirations.
After eight-wicket defeats at Perth and Brisbane, England must win to keep the series alive, with a draw enough for holders Australia to retain the Ashes.
Weatherald was in fine early touch, clobbering a series of boundaries from Carse whose radar was off, bowling too short and wide.
But the opener's gung-ho approach cost him against the pace of Archer who fired down a bouncer and induced a top edge to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
Head followed next over, with Zak Crawley taking a sensational instinctive catch low to his left at short cover off a better ball from Carse.
That brought Khawaja to the crease who with Labuschagne largely played it safe.
He was fortunate to still be there after Harry Brook dropped a sitter in the slips, the latest in a long line of fielding blunders by England this series, before starting to play his shots.
M.Scott--NG
