The Ashes, SCG Test ends in draw: Records broken
The fourth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) ended in a draw. Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, and James Anderson survived the final few overs. Chasing 388, England finished on 270/9. Earlier, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes led the fightback for them. Meanwhile, Australian middle-order batter Usman Khawaja, who returned to the Test fold, stole the show by scoring twin centuries.
How did the match pan out?
Australia declared on 416/8 in the first innings after electing to bat. Khawaja slammed his ninth Test hundred. Stuart Broad registered a five-wicket haul. Stokes and Bairstow helped England compile 294. Australia declared in the second innings too (265/6), with Khawaja scoring another ton. England were reduced to 218/7 in the run-chase. However, Stuart Broad and James Anderson ensured them a safe passage.
Twin centuries for Khawaja
Khawaja scored 137 and 101* in the two innings. He became the ninth player to record an Ashes ton in both innings. He joined the likes of Warren Bardsley, Herbert Sutcliffe, Wally Hammond, Dennis Compton, Arthur Morris, Steve Waugh, Matthew Hayden, and Steve Smith. Khawaja has also become just the third player to achieve this feat at the SCG.
Other feats attained by Khawaja
Khawaja now has three tons in the Ashes (10 overall in Tests). As per Opta, Khawaja has become the third-oldest player to score a century batting at number five in a men's Test at the SCG (35 years 19 days). In the first innings, Khawaja also completed 3,000 runs in Test cricket. He surpassed the 2,000-run mark in the format at home.
19th five-wicket haul for Broad
Stuart Broad completed his 19th five-wicket haul on Day 2. As per Opta, he is now the fifth-oldest player (35y 196d) to take more than five wickets in a men's Test against Australia at the SCG (5/101). He is behind B Peel (37y 305d in 1894), Jim Laker (36y 334d in 1959), and Reggie Schwarz (35y 303d in 1911 and 35y 219d in 1910).
Broad has now dismissed David Warner 13 times
Broad got rid of Australian opener David Warner in the first innings. The England pace spearhead has now dismissed Warner 13 times in 43 innings, the most dismissals of a batter by a bowler in men's Tests since 2001, as per ESPNcricinfo.
Bairstow slammed his seventh ton in Test cricket
Middle-order batter batter Jonny Bairstow helped England claw their way back on Day 3. The visitors were reduced to 36/4 before his phenomenal ton helped them get past 250. Bairstow slammed his seventh ton in Test cricket. It was the first Test century by an England batter in Australia since Alastair Cook's 244 in the Boxing Day Test in 2017.
A look at the other notable numbers
England opener Zak Crawley scored a valiant 77 in the second innings. As per Opta, he has become the third-youngest English opener (23y 340d) to register a 50+ score Down Under. All-rounder Stokes played a couple of handy knocks (66: first innings and 60: second innings). Australian seamer Scott Boland took a total of seven wicket in the match.
