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I sometimes think to myself that American “political journalists” should watch this Children’s BBC programme from 1986 for an an example of how to question somebody.
The questioning is as hostile as West Indian fast bowling in the 1980s.
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Certain similarities with how a team of Australian veterans came back in 2006/07 to avenge the 2005 Ashes defeat in England and this current Ashes series win. After the Sydney New Year test in 2007, the likes of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist immediately or shortly afterwards retired en masse. That crop had done it all and won series against all test playing nations home and away. The next Ashes didn’t roll around for 2 and a half years until 2009, and by then Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey were the only survivors from 2006/07 Ashes series as Australia faced into 7-8 years in the doldrums.
It’ll be interesting to see if the current crop of veterans hang around with unfinished business as most have never won a major series overseas. Australia have only won 1 of 11 test series played in India since 1969 and that was back in 2004. They haven’t won any of the last 6 Ashes series in England, last win in England was in 2001. Only Steven Smith and Nathan Lyon were there when they last won in South Africa in 2014.
Australia have a 3 test series in South Africa in September/October 2026. South Africa beat them in the World Test Final back in June. Then there is a 5 test series in India in February/March 2027 and a 5 test Ashes series in England in the summer of 2027.
I’d say Australia could have won the series in 2019 or 2023 if they really needed to. We’re happy to retain the urn
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The Lord’s test in 2019 and the Old Trafford test in 2023 both ended in draws courtsey of rain. England were in the ascendcy in both with the rain saving Australia both times.
Did England lose one of the Tests in 2023 because of a daft declaration?
Effectively. First test at Edgbaston, England declared on 393/8 on Day 1 after 78 overs with Joe Root still unbeaten on 118. It was seemingly Bazball clever, innovative and an aggressive statement of intent to not bat out your first innings, make a cheeky declaration with 10 overs before stumps to pick up a few Australia wickets on Day 1. Predicably, England didn’t pick up any Australia wickets on Day 1, were probably about 30-40 runs short ultimately on the target of 281 that Australia had to chase, 30-40 runs they could have got if they’d batted out the innings. Australia ulitmately scrapped out a 2 wicket win.
An absolute England giveaway. If you go back over the audit trail, you’ll see I was less than complimentary at the time of that particular Bazball innovation.
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Australia batter Usman Khawaja said he is still battling “racial stereotypes” as he announced his retirement from international cricket.
The 39-year-old will play his 88th Test in the Ashes finale against England starting on Sunday (23:30 GMT, Saturday) in Sydney, on the ground where he made his debut against the same opponents in 2011.
Khawaja was born in Pakistan and became the first Muslim to play for Australia when he took the place of Ricky Ponting at the end of England’s 3-1 series win 15 years ago.
“I’m a proud Muslim, coloured boy from Pakistan who was told he would never play for the Australian cricket team,” he said. “Look at me now.”
The left-hander made his announcement at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday in an emotional 50-minute news conference attended by his wife, two daughters and parents.
Referring to the beginning of this series, when he played golf the day before the first Test and subsequently suffered back spasms in Perth, Khawaja said he was criticised because he is “treated differently”.
“The way the media and the past players came out and attacked me - I could have copped it for two days, but I copped it for about five days straight,” he said.
"The way everyone came at me about my preparation was quite personal in terms of ‘he’s not committed to the team’, ‘he was only worried about himself’, ‘he played this golf comp the day before’, ‘he’s selfish’, ‘he doesn’t train hard enough’, ‘he didn’t train the day before game’, ‘he’s lazy’.
"These are the same stereotypes - racial stereotypes - I’ve grown up with my whole life.
“I just thought the media and old players and everyone else had moved past them, but we obviously haven’t.”
In the same seven-minute answer to one question, Khawaja said: "I can give you a countless number of guys who have played golf the day before and been injured and you guys haven’t said a thing.
"I can give you even more guys who have had 15 beers the night before, then got injured, and no-one’s said a word. That’s alright, they’re just being Aussie larrikins - just being lads.
"When I get injured, everyone went at my credibility and who I am as a person. Normally when someone gets injured, you feel sorry for them as a person. ‘Poor Josh Hazlewood or poor Nathan Lyon - they have got injured.’
“That was the thing I was most sad about and that is what I’ve been dealing with for a long time. I don’t talk about it a lot, but I felt like I need to talk about it right here and right now.”
Khawaja’s family moved from Pakistan to Australia when he was five. In 2020 he said he felt his background had led him to being stereotyped as “lazy”.
In 2023 he was charged by the International Cricket Council for wearing a black armband in Australia’s first Test against Pakistan as a show of support for the people of Gaza.
Speaking on Thursday, Khawaja said: "I call myself the people’s champ, not because I think everyone loves me but because I speak about things for the people that other people don’t want to speak about.
"I know why I get nailed a lot of the time. I understand that I’ve talked about certain issues outside of cricket, which leaves me exposed and a lot of people don’t like.
"I know I’m here talking about topics and people will say ‘Uzzie’s here, he’s playing the race card again’. Don’t gaslight me. This stuff happens all the time - we see it and we just don’t talk about it.
"I didn’t want to talk about this, but I just want the journey for the next Usman Khawaja to be different.
“I want him or her to be treated all the same - not have racial stereotypes over who they might be.”
Khawaja has played in six Ashes series - winning two, losing two and drawing two. He was also part of the Australia team that won the World Test Championship in 2023.
He needs 30 runs in his final Test to go above Mike Hussey and into 14th on Australia’s all-time run-scorers list, behind the great Donald Bradman in 13th.
Khawaja played the last of his 40 one-day internationals in 2019, having scored 1,554 runs at 42. He played nine T20 internationals, scoring 241 runs at 26.77.
Now playing domestically for Queensland, Khawaja will end his international career on the ground that was his home when he first played professional cricket for New South Wales in 2008. He intends to continue playing domestic cricket.
Often in and out of the Australia team during his Test career, he found a home at the top of the order during the previous home Ashes in 2021-22.
During the Perth Test Travis Head was moved up to open in place of Khawaja in the second innings. Head made a swashbuckling century to lead Australia to an eight-wicket win.
Khawaja missed the second Test with the back problem and was due to be left out of the third, only to receive a late call-up when Steve Smith fell ill.
Khawaja made 82 and 40 in Adelaide to retain his place for the fourth Test.
After the Ashes Australia do not play another Test until August.
“At the age of 25 I tried so hard to fit into the Australian cricket team. I was trying to dress like all the boys; I was going out to the clubs even though I didn’t drink,” said Khawaja.
"I tried all that and it didn’t get work. I’d still get dropped from the Australian cricket team.
"I get it - my name isn’t John Smith. When the 50-50 calls happen they’re just not going my way. Why am I trying to be like everybody else?
"I’m hoping the journey for the next Usman Khawaja is a bit easier and we get to a line, however many generations, where that Usman Khawaja is the same as John Smith. That’s what I’ve been trying to champion the whole time.
"We’re a lot better and a more inclusive society than we’ve been before, but there’s still a way to go because Australian cricket is still very white in a lot of respects.
“It might take time, but as long as you’re working towards it you can’t do more than that.”
Golfing the day before a Test match and then suffering from back spasms does seem idiotic to be fair.
Hasn’t his batting average been shit for quite a while?
Shame on me but this Glenn/Jane McGrath pink test is absolutely getting out of hand.
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Poor old Pottsy won’t have too many more test caps after this performance
You have little to be worrying about.
England have burned two reviews trying to get out the nightwatchman Neser. Idiotic captaincy from Stokes referring the two of those.
Smudger on to inflict a world of pain on Stokes & co
One of the great ambitions of my life has always been to watch every single ball of a Test Match from Australia live through five successive nights and for that Test Match to be a draw at the end of it all.
With the influence of bash bash boom boom pyjama cricket and wicket-friendly Australian wickets it looks like increasingly unlikely that ambition will ever be fulfilled and sadly it won’t be in this match either as I’ve slept through most of the last two nights, but I’m hopeful we could get a much needed draw here. The sport as a whole badly needs one.
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Century for the likeable Smudger Smith.
Australia 7/456
He was dropped on 12 by Crawley. One of a succession of England dropped catches. Another horror show bowling and in the field.
Australia 7/518.
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I don’t think it is any harm that this England team are getting shown up again in Sydney for the utter shambles that they are in every department. After winning what was an utter farce of a test match in Melbourne, I didn’t like the sudden talk of McCullom staying on as coach and Stokes as captain.
It was fairly obvious from the outset that this was a 500 score first innings pitch and England came up a good bit short on 384. England needed somebody else to score big along with Root. Instead you had the Top 3 and Stokes at Number 6 cumulatively between them facing just 87 balls. Michael Neser, the Australia nightwatchman who would probably have batted 10, faced 90 deliveries.
Potts utterly out of his depth at this level. He was something like 7th or 8th choice fast bowler at start of series and here he is now opening the bowling.
17 drop catches in the series and some truly horrific ones in this test.
A resolute side could still bat out this test for the draw that @Cheasty so craves. This England side will most likely be all out for under 200.
A 4-1 series score would be an accurate enough relection. Maybe even a little generous on England.
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