Khawaja Thunder Boxing Day Doubt

Usman Khawaja will face a fitness test later this week which will determine his chances of returning to the Test arena on Boxing Day. 

The 28-year-old was due to return from a hamstring injury in Thursday night’s opening Big Bash League match for the Sydney Thunder. However Cricket Australia medical staff have ruled him out of the clash against cross-city rivals the Sixers.

Khawaja will now need to prove his fitness before Sunday’s match with the Melbourne Stars, which also acts as the only remaining fixture before the Boxing Day Test against the West Indies at the MCG.

If he fails that test, selectors will be spared the difficult decision of trying to slot Khawaja back into the Australian team at the expense of either Joe Burns or Shaun Marsh.

Khawaja has not played since injuring his hamstring in the second Test against New Zealand at the Waca Ground, and Australian coach Darren Lehmann is not willing to risk him without any previous game-time.

“We certainly need him playing and with the hamstring we don’t want him playing Test match cricket if he’s not fully fit,” Lehmann said after Australia’s defeat of the West Indies in Hobart.

“He will have to be sharp in those Big Bash League T20 games he’s playing and get through those – then we’ll make a decision from there.”

Khawaja was a key member of Australia’s top order against New Zealand, smashing centuries at the Gabba and Waca before being ruled out with the injury.

Australian captain Steve Smith is also battling a knee injury in the lead up to the MCG Test, and has been ruled out of the Sixers’ opening two BBL matches. He is expected to be fit for the Boxing Day Test.

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No Rum for Captain Morgan

Captain Eoin Morgan thinks his England side are better than they showed during their 59-run defeat to Australia in the first one-day international at the Ageas Bowl.

The hosts reduced Australia to 193-6 but then allowed them to reach 305-6 as Matthew Wade (71 not out) and Mitchell Marsh (40 not out) made hay.

England then reached 112-1 in response, only to lose their way and slump to 194-7, before eventually being dismissed for 246.

And Morgan had no doubt that the batting side of the equation was where England really fell short.

Asked where the game was lost, he said: "The 10-15 overs in the middle of the chase where Australia bowled pretty well.

"I thought if we had come out of that period where they did bowl well unscathed, we should have chased it down quite easily.

"We got off to a fantastic start. Alex Hales and Jason Roy (67) set the tone early and, when we get off to a start like that, we should be chasing down 305.

"I thought Australia defended the score pretty well and put us under the pump but I think we are a better side than that."

Roy and James Taylor (49) were England's two top scorers but the one-day side have generally batted well this summer and Morgan was not too angry about the fact no one recorded a really big score.

"It is frustrating, but I don't want to take anything away from the way the guys play naturally," he said.

"We have seen what they can do, we just want to see more of it."

Australia plundered 93 off their last 10 overs and Morgan added: "You can always do things differently.

"We will look back at our plans and our execution of them and see how they look on replays and obviously try and improve them for Lord's (on Saturday).

"But, certainly, at the start of the game, we would have taken that score (305)."

Australia have stolen a march in the five-match series but Morgan was not too downcast and, when asked if the defeat was a major setback, he replied: "Absolutely not.

"Australia are a very strong side and we will have to play very well to beat them. Today was an opportunity that has gone amiss but we are certainly looking forward to Lord's.

"The games come thick and fast, we are excited about playing the world champions, and it is another opportunity."

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid impressed for England, removing the top four in the Australia order as they slipped back after a good start and finishing with 4-59.

Morgan said: "Adil has come on leaps and bounds since the start of our summer.

"He bowled well in the New Zealand series, he has been working really hard at Yorkshire and, obviously, he has been in and around the Test team.

"For him to hold his nerve today against a very good batting line-up, I was very impressed."

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Captain Morgan Leads Defeat

England’s World Cup campaign started in disappointing fashion as they were thrashed by Australia at the MCG.

Eoin Morgan’s men were bowled out for 231 in pursuit of The Baggy Greens’ imposing total of 342-9 to register a 111- run defeat.

James Taylor (98no) top scored for England with his highest ODI total, while Mitchell Marsh (5-33) outgunned Australia’s senior bowlers with his first five-for.

Aaron Finch (135) had earlier starred for the co-hosts with the bat, crunching his sixth one-day ton on his World Cup debut after being dropped on nought by Chris Woakes.

Glenn Maxwell (66 off 40) also added quick-fire late runs for Australia, before Steven Finn (5-71) claimed the first hat-trick by an Englishman in World Cup cricket.

England, who picked Gary Ballance instead of Ravi Bopara, elected to bowl in Melbourne and should have had an early breakthrough but Woakes somehow shelled Finch at mid-wicket in the first over.

Finch made the most of his lifeline, firstly putting on 57 for the first wicket with David Warner (22) and then, when Warner and Shane Watson (0) fell to consecutive Stuart Broad deliveries and Woakes bowled Steven Smith (5), adding 146 with skipper George Bailey.

Right-hander Finch, who brought up his century of 102 balls, was run out by Morgan in the 36th over and Bailey dragged a Finn delivery onto his poles shortly after.

But Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh (23 off 20) and Brad Haddin (31 off 14) did not let Australia’s innings dwindle, plundering 116 from the final 12 overs.

It was a bizarre finish to Australia innings as Steve Finn ended the innings with a hat-trick and five-for. The game is live on Sky Sports World Cup.

Finn (5-71) finished Australia’s knock in good spirits, though, dismissing Haddin, Maxwell and Mitchell Johnson (0) in successive deliveries in the final over.

England were soon in trouble in their reply, however, with Moeen Ali (10) miscuing a pull shot and holing out to mid-on, and Ballance (10) chipping Marsh to short mid-off.

Ian Bell (36) had seemingly bedded in but he slogged to Starc at midwicket to hand Marsh a second scalp and the 23-year-old had a third next ball when Joe Root (5) top-edged behind to Haddin.

Taylor, shunted down to six with Ballance taking his No 3 spot, was next in but he wasn’t batting with his captain for long, as Morgan (0) presented Haddin with another catch to record his fourth duck in five innings.

Haddin showed his athleticism to dismiss Morgan, but that was nothing compared to Smith, who produced a stunning dive at short cover to pluck a firmly-hit stroke from Jos Buttler (10) out of the air and complete Marsh’s five-for.

England were 92-6 at that stage, though they increased that to 184-6 thanks to some good scampering between the wickets by Taylor and Woakes (37) and latterly some lusty blows.

However, the 92-run partnership ended when Woakes skied to Smith and when Broad (0) was bowled by for a golden duck and Finn (1) went caught-and-bowled, Taylor – who was dropped twice and survived a caught-behind review – was left with last man Anderson.

The Notinghamshire player moved to within two runs of his hundred, though after he successfully reviewed an lbw decision, Anderson (8) was run-out by Maxwell off the same delivery, with Taylor's pleas of dead ball falling on deaf ears.

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