The Ashes Test in Sydney delivered a gut-wrenching moment for Usman Khawaja, potentially in his final Test match, as England's bowlers put the pressure on.
By SHAYNE BUGDEN, SPORTS EDITOR, AUSTRALIA
Updated: 22:41 EST, 5 January 2026
Follow Daily Mail Sport's live blog for all the latest scores and updates from the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney.
03:41 - A Waste from Khawaja
Cricket correspondent Lawrence Booth points out a critical moment: England's earlier wasted reviews came back to haunt them, and now it's Khawaja's turn to face the consequences. A yorker from Brydon Carse was hitting the middle stump, but Khawaja, in his final Test, might not have the option to challenge the umpire's decision with a DRS review.
03:37 - Carey Off the Mark, Australia 5-343, trail by 41 runs
Carse followed up with another impressive ball that struck Carey's pads, but it was deemed to be too high to be a wicket. The wicketkeeper then powerfully hit the ball to the boundary through cover.
03:34 - WICKET! Khawaja Falls LBW to Carse for 17
Khawaja began to accelerate, hitting Carse through cover for two runs, showcasing his usual excellent placement and timing. However, he still didn't appear completely settled. The umpire declared him out LBW! Khawaja immediately requested a review, with Australia having two remaining. The replay showed no bat involved. The ball tracking confirmed the decision. Khawaja received a standing ovation as he left the field, with his wife and daughters watching.
03:26 - 50 for Smith
Smith reached his second half-century of the series by driving Carse straight down the ground for four runs.
03:24 - Carse Gets the New Ball
Carse was given the new ball instead of Josh Tongue, who had bowled better in the Test. Carse's second delivery was too full and wide, allowing Smith to hit it to the rope.
03:18 - England Takes the New Ball, Australia Trails by 56
England chose Matthew Potts to bowl with the new ball, despite his figures of 0-104 from 17 overs. Potts struck Khawaja on the glove, but the ball didn't carry to Jamie Smith. Khawaja then played his best shot of the day, driving Potts straight down the ground for four.
03:11 - Khawaja Gives Stokes Fits, Australia 4-322
Khawaja scored his first boundary by edging a ball from Stokes, but it didn't carry to second slip, causing Stokes to hold his head in frustration. Only four runs were scored in that over.
03:05 - Strange Choice by England
England's decision to remove Bethell from the attack and replace him with Jacks was a puzzling move. Bethell had been bowling well and restricting the batsmen, especially Khawaja, who was on five runs from 27 deliveries.
02:51 - Slow Start for Khawaja, Australia Trails by 73 Runs
Khawaja moved to three runs from 19 balls as England tightened their grip on the run rate. Bethell and Stokes worked well together, delivering many dot balls.
02:45 - Bethell Sends a Message to the Aussie Selectors
Bethell was effective, finding some turn and providing a great change-up when paired with Stokes. Australia's decision to play without a specialist spinner at the SCG for the first time in nearly 140 years is already controversial. But here's where it gets controversial... If Australia struggles to take English wickets in the second innings, the criticism will likely intensify.
02:40 - Problems for Steve Smith, Australia 4-306
Smith hit Stokes for another boundary, but his innings didn't inspire confidence. He had several mis-hits and looked sketchy at times.
02:36 - Australia Reaches 4-301, Trails by 83 Runs in After 70 Overs
Khawaja was off the mark with two runs, while Smith was on 32 from 54 balls.
Key Updates:
- WICKET! Khawaja falls LBW to Carse for 17
- WICKET! Bethell gets Head LBW for 163
- WICKET! Carse finally gets Neser for 24, Australia 3-234
- Stokes dismayed as DRS review fails for England
- DROPPED! Will Jacks blows golden chance to remove Head
- Two Aussies dominate the series
- Broad reveals what Stokes said to Labuschagne
- Boundary brings up a century to Head!
- Neser survives a DRS review, Australia 2-167
- The weather outlook
- Is Stokes in trouble with the match referees?
- Revealed: Why Ben Stokes lost it with Marnus in F-bomb tirade
And this is the part most people miss... The article presents a detailed account of the match, highlighting key moments and decisions. The focus is on Khawaja's dismissal and the overall flow of the game, including the strategies employed by both teams. The piece also touches on the controversial decisions and player performances.
What do you think? Were the umpire's decisions fair? Do you agree with the tactics employed by England and Australia? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
