You thought you knew Usman Khawaja. You thought he was flat-footed and feeble against spin. You thought he was nervous and indecisive at the crease. He was. But that was the old Ussie.
The new Ussie is an overhauled model and the positive signs have been there for quite some time. As I wrote last week, since Khawaja’s last brief stint in the Test team more than two years ago, the elegant left hander has renovated his game.
His most marked improvements have been in his play against spin and his shot selection outside off against the quicks.
When last we saw him donning the baggy green he was every spinner’s wet dream. Fixed to the crease, he prodded anxiously at the slow bowlers, who were afforded the luxury of maintaining a consistent length because of Khawaja’s poor feet-movement.
Spin bowlers love nothing more than a stationary target – a batsman who gets neither far enough forward to turn length balls into drivable deliveries, nor far enough back to regularly unfurl cross-bat strokes. Khawaja was this very cricketer.
It’s why champion England off-spinner Graeme Swann devoured the Queenslander. On the odd occasion that Khawaja did skip down the track to try to pressure Swann, he did so with a complete lack of conviction.
When he ventured out of his crease, Khawaja looked like a blind man who had left his guide dog at home. It had been remarked by some cricket followers in the lead-up to this series that Khawaja’s biggest challenge may come in trying to counter Mark Craig.
However, Khawaja had already served notice to the Kiwi spinner. In the recent tour match against New Zealand, Khawaja had cantered to an unbeaten hundred for the CA XI. In this match he was dismissive in his treatment of Craig, dropping on one knee to clatter him through or over the infield, piercing the offside whenever the Kiwi overpitched, and dancing down the track to loft him straight and long.
Michael Clarke in his pomp scarcely looked more commanding against spin than did Khawaja that day. It is this resounding improvement in Khawaja’s game that has the potential to unlock his full talent.
During his previous three stints in the Test team, he had numerous fluent starts against the pacemen, exploiting his swift judgment of length to move well into position. But, time and again, any confidence and momentum earned against the fast men swiftly eroded as spin reduced him to a groping novice.
New Zealand clearly were hoping that Craig may be able to tap back into this mental weakness. Immediately when Khawaja arrived at the crease, Kiwi captain Brendon McCullum introduced Craig and offered him what was an attacking field in the circumstances.
McCullum’s plan to unsettle Khawaja came undone in the space of two deliveries. Seven runs came from Craig’s first two balls to Khawaja, both of which were sliced away square of the wicket with an ease and assuredness that must have been like a slap in the face to McCullum and Craig.
If those scything cuts were open-handed blows, Khawaja soon landed a pair of savage hooks. Twice he shimmied down the track to Craig. Twice he dispatched him over the offside rope with a nonchalance and elegance which evoked Mark Waugh’s supreme play of slow bowlers.
Soon he was reaping the rewards of such assertive strokeplay: the benefit of using your feet to the spinners is how often they then overcorrect and gift you something short. Khawaja, the man who previously was tied in knots by spin, suddenly had scoring opportunities coming out of his ears against Craig.
So quickly was he in place to play his late cuts that Khawaja almost seemed to know those loose, short deliveries were coming. And why wouldn’t you? When you’ve manhandled a spinner on the front foot it’s a safe bet he’ll soon give you something to cut or pull.
In this mode, clever batsmen can make playing spin appear elementary. Granted, Craig is no Swann. Nor is he in the class of Pakistan’s Yasir Shah, Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath or Australia’s own Nathan Lyon. But there was plenty in the track for the spinner – sharp bounce and a reasonable amount of quick turn. Yet Khawaja left him bereft of ideas, just like Swann had done to the Australian what now feels like eons ago.
In between dismantling Craig, Khawaja showed the timing and placement against pace that was never in doubt. You always felt that when Khawaja banished his spin demons his handling of the quicks would flourish in tow.
So it was yesterday. The 28-year-old’s innings was not just an aesthetic joy, it was also imbued with a degree of intelligence, patience and positivity which gave you the feeling that the potential most of us have seen in Khawaja may yet be fully realised.
Day 1 at the Gabba was just the first, mesmerising step in what we can only hope will be a beguiling Test career.
Don Freo
Guest
Captaincy material. Almost snatched a victory from nowhere. Led from the front with the bat. Probably opened the bowling too...but I didn't see that bit.
Bearfax
Guest
On the money with young Heazlett, Don. 20 years old and his first Shield match earns him 129 and 78. That's two out of nowhere with young Dean not getting a chance to bat in his match because of rain. And young Doran finally starting to show his class with a 68. Things are looking bright. However in regard to Shaun Marsh, hasnt he retired yet?
Don Freo
Guest
Heazlett, Shaun Marsh....promising younguns.
Bearfax
Guest
You seem to be attracting a bit of flack on these forums Perry. For mine, though I may not agree with you on some points, you are spicing up the comments, so I certainly wont be one to discourage you. Actually from my point of view you make some valid points. For example Khawaja and Burns are only at the beginning of their test careers and may flop. Both dont have great first class averages but then who does these days. No 50+ batsmen to choose from other than Smith and Warner. I suspect Khawaja in particular will kick on, but there's always a young breed nipping at their derrieres such as Maddinson, Bancroft, Handscomb, Stoinis, Patterson etc. And who can tell. Maybe Dean or Doran may suddenly overtake them all...at least we can hope. Next few years could be interesting.
Khawarmy Khawarmy
Roar Pro
Mr Perry, "A top order batsman with a 1st class avg sub 40" "Go figure – it’s only his relatively young age that gets him a game ahead of I suppose someone like Mr Klinger " It would be good if people like yourself would investigate before you trot out rubbish like this. For the record Uzzie FC CAREER Average is higher than those who he made the team in front of. He's the next Best. Even Klinger who has absolutely dominated last 2 years still averages below 40. You say Khawaja is overrated, well then so is everyone batsmen in Australia trying to force his way into the side. If you had said unfilled potential you may have carried some weight. But overrated lets keep that to those who are genuinely overrated.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Out of interest, how has Khawaja been favoured compared to other recent selections? He had three bouts of three tests, so never even got to finish an entire series in the side. I mean geez, we even picked Doolan for 4 tests and that blokes FC average is 35! At least Bailey got 5 Tests straight through the Ashes. Cowan got 17 tests without ever getting his average up into the 40s. S Marsh has been called upon multiple times and really only his most recent recall was based on weight of runs. Additionally, whilst Khawaja's FC average has dropped a little since he was first selected, who is currently playing that has a more impressive average? Klinger has a sub-40 average, as does S Marsh and Callum Ferguson. The only guy not in this Aussie side right now with a comfortably better average is Lynn (45), but he's injured, and to be honest hasn't been playing for as long, so his average sample size is not as large.
Fox
Roar Guru
Sohdi
Joey Johns
Roar Guru
Well that's where he honed his deficiencies ;)
Joey Johns
Roar Guru
Cave of common sense. The selectors have joined him as will I
spruce moose
Guest
Lol. I'm the brainless. Good call. Words of a genius. It's such a shame you don't live on the east coast to run something important to the country.
Phil
Guest
One can already see the same mentality as in Watson and Symonds and the perennial search for an all-rounder with Mitchell Marsh.
Felix
Guest
Dom I think it's the Grandpa Simpson on your assessment - a little from column's A & B. A few of the guys I play golf with are current Bulls bowlers, I asked one last year who the best batsman in the domestic scene was. He said Khawaja was leagues above all he has bowled to domestically and stacked up against the IPL's best he had to bowl at, but it was a mentality issue. That said he looked to play with much more freedom and confidence, not to mention aggression, so I reckon you're bang on that his short form has permeated his longer game. The captaincy has helped him focus as well and I hope for Australia (not so much QLD's sake) he enjoys a long and fruitful career for us at number 3. I also loved his tasteful "please don't go there, it's deeply personal" response this morning when Slater tried to get a distasteful scoop on his religion.
JoM
Roar Rookie
I'll throw my two cents worth in and I'm with Eski. I don't think subcontinental players are marginalised at all. If you go to any grade club in Sydney, especially the preseason trials, there will be a whole lot of subcontinental cricketers there, some are very young as in 13 or 14 and are there with their family supporting them. When they get chosen in 6th grade or 5th grade the parents aren't happy and either complain or take them straight out because they think they deserve to play higher, but the fact is that at that point in time they aren't good enough, even if the parents think they are. From what I have seen having my oldest son in the state squads from age 12 to Under 19, a lot of the subcontinental kids attend the trials, the best ones get picked into the squads but the majority don't get into the final team/teams. I'm not talking about your Khawajas or Sandhu's because they did work hard, didn't see Khawaja but did see Sandhu. I have however seen kids at these squad training sessions smashing themselves to the point of vomiting but you do see a lot of the kids from the subcontinent just sitting down because it is too much or too hard for them. Some are just lazy. None of these selectors are going to pick anyone for the final team if they don't want to put in the work and a great majority don't and expect to be selected on skill alone.
Kohli's Middle Finger
Guest
I'm also a big fan of the UK but lets be honest, every batmen scored runs in the Aus innings. Too early to judge but at least this innings will give him an extended run in the team.
Ashbrown
Guest
brilliant knock from khawaja, 174 is a great score for his first innings back. so easy on the eye to watch, especially on the back foot. hopefully he continues his class throughout the summer.
Don Freo
Guest
I think you'll find it is Spuce being sensitive. I don't care about the opinions of the blind or the brainless. Others are worth engaging with. You decide which one you want to be.
Don Freo
Guest
Give me one.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Great knock from Usie, I've always liked watching him bat, very much a confidence guy like many I suppose. I hope he gets a fair crack in the team now.
Perry Bridge
Guest
To a degree I was cheekily just putting it out there. This is mindful of the discussions the other day where the notion of Matthew Wade being considered as a specialist top 6 batter for Australia was attacked by some - for only having a 1st class record of average of 40. And - given he debuted back in 2007 I guess the same 'green top' era applies. Like a lot of things in life - people defend what they want and attack what they want often with the use of both sides of the double standards available - simply to justify their predetermined positions. At any rate - to the Kawaja discussion - and : #Mango Jack - Watson, like Symonds before him, embodied an 'idea' of a cricketer that Australia wanted. Again - the repeated test selection was at times as much based on exhibited white ball form as on potential red ball form with only limited red ball actuals. Personally I felt Watson was given too many chances too. Matthew Hayden was given an early crack, including a very patchy 100 against the West Indies and had to wait a few years for his second coming - not quite as long as Rogers did. #Red Kev - For Kawaja, there seems a bit of a 'theRoar' based fan club who feel he's been hard done by and is overdue a return. My point is that there's not really any evidence of being hard done by and by contrast history indicates he's been afforded pretty well every opportunity. I don't begrudge him his chance. I hope he does well. He's clearly an attractive cricketer as far as elegance of stroke play goes. And Australia is crying out for a #3.
Eski
Guest
Klinger averages 40 in Sheffield shield compared to Khawaja who averages 45