Opener fails to capitalise on opportunity in Sheffield Shield clash
This is a strategy as old as the game itself; Soften them up, make them uncomfortable, then lull them into a false sense of security.
But the England duo would also be taught a lesson in perseverance on Thursday.
Hadley seemed to have backed out of a plan that looked like it might get a reward if she persisted and followed through. He attempted the same entry next time, only for Khawaja to anticipate the move and deliver his preferred pull shot to send it to the fences.
From there Hadley went too full and wide and the classy champion pounced quickly to send two deliveries to the cover boundary. Nothing close to Khawaja’s ribcage has buckled since then and he looked largely untroubled on his way to 60 at the time of reporting.
Usman Khawaja struggled against the West Indies in the series and was briefly targeted at times.Credit: access point
But this New South Wales arsenal doesn’t come at the same pace as Wood and Archer’s; each can send him at speeds well over 140 km per hour. Although the pull kick is one of Khawaja’s strengths, it usually comes with minimal footwork and more body rotation when time permits.
In contrast, Queensland’s Jack Clayton was emphatic with his back-foot action, connecting him powerfully to the boundary when he was just two points from Blues captain Jack Edwards.
Could that extra pace and precision make the difference and reveal vulnerability against a man who will be 39 during the Ashes? Or were these examples anomalies?
Age suggests he is nearing the end of his career, despite his insistence that he has not yet determined when that time will come. It was a hopeful glimpse of the future when 22-year-old Victorian Campbell Kellaway hit a century in the same over against Tasmania.
Previously, Renshaw had made just about the worst possible start to the Ashes tryouts; He departed for a sneaky single off his first ball but was almost run out when he was sent back.
Two balls later and a leg edge clip towards the boundary to go off target was caught almost miraculously by wicketkeeper Ryan Hicks.
But although Renshaw succumbed to Edwards’ dominance several times either side of the rain delay, he gradually regained momentum – breaking away more confidently and stepping out on the front foot to cross the leg side.
That was until he was bowled clean by Edwards for 29 points, before Labuschagne’s golden start to the summer was undone; He was caught at leg slip by Liam Hatcher in four overs.
What could please the selectors in their quest for the next opener against England was the way Khawaja and Renshaw navigated the difficult terrain under cloudy skies early with a 94-run partnership.
