Published: Jul 31, 2023, 08:09 AM (IST)
Edited: Jul 31, 2023, 11:56 AM (IST)
THE FIFTH Ashes Test between England and Australia is heading towards a tense finish, with Australian openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja taking Australia to 135-0 at stumps on Day 4, leaving the visitors 349 runs away from a magnificent victory.
David Warner is batting at 58 while Usman Khawaja is unbeaten on 69. England’s second innings folded on 395, setting Australia a target of 384 runs. The target was stiff but the Aussie pair has given the Pat Cummins-led side the best possible start.
Meanwhile, footage has emerged where Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja can be seen confronting an English fan who yelled ‘boring’ as each player passed through him. The fan, however, apologized quickly after intervention from Labuschagne and Khawaja.
Khawaja told the man to “calm down”, while Labuschagne asked him, “What did you say? What did you say, mate? You’re just about to go at everyone else.”
This is not the first incident of misbehaving by England fans towards the Australian team. Earlier, in the second test, MCC suspended three members after they abused the Australian players on their way back to the dressing room.
England are under the pump and they would need their ace pacer Stuart Broad to spell magic one last time. Notably, Broad has announced retirement from cricket and the ongoing Test is his last in England Jersey.
The veteran pacer has scripted many remarkable wins for England on his way to 602 Test wickets and it would be fitting for him to lead the team to a series-leveling win and end the career on a high. However, the Australians looked determined to spoil Broad’s swansong.
