The Edgbaston Test is poised for a thrilling finale.
Australia is currently 7-218, chasing a 281-run target for victory, with Pat Cummins (5*) and Alex Carey (13*) unbeaten in the middle.
After resuming his innings on 36, Khawaja reached his half-century in patient – or slow – fashion as Australia inches towards the target.
But England stifled Australia’s scoring in the opening couple of hours, with Stuart Broad dismissing nightwatchman Scott Boland for 20 before Moeen Ali snared the dangerous Travis Head for 16.
After the morning session was cancelled due to a morning storm, Australia resumed their final-innings chase under clouded skies at 11.15pm AEST, needing 174 runs to claim victory.
Hosts England needed seven wickets on the final day to begin the series with a win, having picked up David Warner (36), Marnus Labuschagne (13) and Steve Smith (6) early into the chase.
MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs England, first Test, live scoreboard
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In an early warning sign for the visitors, both James Anderson and Stuart Broad had the ball swinging in their opening overs, while bowling accurate lines mixed with bouncers.
Boland began the day positively to move to 20 after the opening half-hour, doubling his previous Test best (albeit in his limited time in the Test arena).
But Stuart Broad ended his plucky resistance with a canny double-bluff, setting a field as if a short ball barrage was incoming – only to deliver a full-length inswinger that had Boland caught behind after edging an attempted drive.
Broad’s third wicket of the innings had Australia 4-121 and needing 160 runs to win.
But England continued to restrict the flow of runs.
Usman Khawaja scored just four runs from his first 40 deliveries faced on the final day, with Australia’s patient approach in total contrast to England’s hyper-aggressive style with the bat.
There were no boundaries scored in the opening hour, as the boisterous home fans chanted “boring, boring Aussies.”
The verbal jousting spread to the field with a tense exchange between Khawaja and England seamer Ollie Robinson, who dismissed the Aussie for 141 in the first innings before telling him to “F*** off you f***ing prick.”
In the first drinks break, Robinson apparently gave the Aussie some batting advice, with Khawaja putting him firmly in his place by saying: “That’s why you’re not a batsman.”
Having been under the pump from England’s seam bowling, Australia appeared to break the shackles when Moeen Ali was introduced into the attack. Travis Head had struck two boundaries against the spinner in his first over, only to edge a drifting off-break to Joe Root at slip to depart for 16 off 24.
Cameron Green entered the pressure cooker and staved off an early assault on his pads from James Anderson, as Khawaja brought up his 50 in what has been a remarkable grinding performance from the Australian batter, who has batted on all five days this match.
Robinson brought the crowd to life by breaking the 49-run partnership, with Green tentatively fending at a length delivery and chopping back onto his stumps. The young all-rounder punched his bat before trudging back to the sheds for 28.
The loudest cheer of the afternoon came when Ben Stokes handed his cap to the umpire, and the England captain delivered the game-changing moment in just his second over.
Khawaja, deceived by a well-disguised slower ball, prodded outside off stump and chopped on, departing for 65 after a 197-ball marathon. An exhausted Stokes didn’t celebrate, gingerly limping in his follow-through before embracing his teammates.
Session times (AEST)
Session 2: 11:15pm – 1:30am
Tea: 1:30am
Session 3: 1:50 – 4am.
The first session was cancelled and an early lunch taken after a morning storm.
Ground staff worked feverishly to funnel water into the drainage systems and ensure a likely thrilling final day was not ruined, while the rain dried up by lunchtime. There is no forecast rain for the remainder of the day, but forecasts from earlier in the day noted the possibility of some passing showers.
A maximum 67 overs will be bowled, down from the scheduled 98, but bad light could be a factor later in the afternoon.
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MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs England, first Test, live scoreboard
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