Sydney: Usman Khawaja says he is desperate to emerge from the periphery and consolidate a regular spot in the Australian team for this year's Ashes series against England. The Pakistan-born batsman, 26, who made his Test debut almost 18 months ago but has only played in six Tests, is looking to the July-August series in England to finally confirm himself as a top-notch batsman.
"I've done a lot of hard work to get where I am. All I can do is go out there and prove myself on the field," he told The Sydney Morning Herald on Thursday. "All we're thinking about right now is getting those Ashes back. I know if I can contribute to that then I can get a bit more comfortable where I am in international cricket." Khawaja said he was aware of a belief held by some within Australia's management that his attitude needs improving.
Khawaja was one of four players controversially stood down for a Test in India last March during a 4-0 series loss for what Australia coach Mickey Arthur said at the time was an unacceptable team culture. "I was disappointed, a bit frustrated, a bit angry, but I'm just grateful to be on this Ashes tour," said the left-hander, who added that he worked as hard as anyone on his game. "I don't think you can get to state level, or even playing for Australia for that fact, without working hard. I think it's impossible."
Khawaja said his
01:34 PM, May 23, 2013
Leeds: New Zealand's Neil Wagner said on Wednesday he wanted to make England batsmen "hate him" and "get in their face" as the Black Caps look to square the Test series with victory at Headingley. England won the first Test of this two-match campaign with a commanding 170-run success, achieved with more than a day to spare, at Lord's last week after skittling New Zealand out for a mere 68...
01:08 PM, May 23, 2013
London: Buoyed by Stuart Broad's match-winning burst at Lord's, England will look to seal a series win over New Zealand in the second and final Test starting at Headingley on Friday before turning their attention to Australia in July. Broad's seven-wicket haul in the second innings of the first Test bowled England to a 170-run victory as New Zealand were skittled for just 68 having matched the hosts for three...
10:04 AM, May 23, 2013
Leeds: Joe Root said on Wednesday that England would look to carry on from where they left off against New Zealand at Lord's during the second and final Test at his Headingley home ground. England skittled out New Zealand for just 68 at Lord's on Sunday to secure a 170-run win that left them 1-0 up in a two-match series heading into the second Test, which starts on Friday. "The...
09:31 PM, May 22, 2013
Leeds: New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling was ruled out Wednesday of the second and final Test against England at Headingley starting Friday. Watling injured his knee during New Zealand's 170-run first Test defeat at Lord's last week. New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, who deputised behind the stumps at Lord's, will keep at Headingley with Martin Guptill coming into the team to bat at number six, a Black Caps statement issued...
08:31 PM, May 22, 2013
Sydney: Australia are rightly underdogs for the upcoming Ashes series in England but will do everything they can to bring the coveted urn back home, skipper Michael Clarke said on Wednesday. There was more talk of aspiration than expectation as the Australia squad officially bid farewell to the country in a ceremony at Sydney airport before their departure for England at the weekend. England hold the Ashes after a convincing...
11:22 AM, May 22, 2013
London: England named an unchanged squad for the second Test against New Zealand starting on Friday after batsman Ian Bell was declared fit following a bout of tonsillitis. Bell climbed out of his sick bed to take his place at the crease in the first Test won in stunning fashion by England on Sunday but had been a doubt for Headingley. Yorkshire batsman Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root will get...
03:06 PM, May 21, 2013
London: New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori could return to action in the second Test against England this week after Bruce Martin was ruled out of the rest of the tour with a calf injury. Vettori has not played for the Black Caps for almost a year because of a hamstring injury and was left out of the squad for the two-Test series in England. But with Martin sidelined by the...
07:15 PM, May 20, 2013
Bridgetown: The West Indies will kick off preparations for next month's Champions Trophy in England when they embark on a five-day camp at the High Performance Centre (HPC) at the 3Ws Oval starting here on Monday. The sessions will be overseen by West Indies head coach Ottis Gibson with assistant coach Tony Radford and the HPC's Andre Coley, also involved in the squad's preparation. The players are expected to begin...
01:15 PM, May 20, 2013
Wellington: New Zealand's media were muted in their reaction to their side being bundled out for just 68 runs to give England a 170-run victory in the first Test at Lord's on Sunday, instead turning their focus towards the second match in Leeds. Their second innings score, sparked by Stuart Broad's career-best figures of seven for 44, was New Zealand's ninth-lowest in their 83-year Test history. Unlike the furore that...
11:25 AM, May 20, 2013
London: England captain Alastair Cook was satisfied with his team's performance after they beat New Zealand by 170 runs in a fluctuating first Test at Lord's on Sunday. Widely criticised following the recent 0-0 series draw in New Zealand against a side ranked six places below them, England produced a disciplined bowling display to skittle the touring side for 68 in their second innings. "It was a good Test win...
09:45 PM, May 19, 2013
London: With nearly two days to beat England in the first Test at Lord's, New Zealand looked like they might not last two hours after reaching lunch at 29-6 on the fourth day. Tasked with defending 238 to prevent their first loss to the Kiwis in 14 years, England were set to win big and with more than a day to spare. Stuart Broad caused most of the carnage, snaring...
07:22 PM, May 19, 2013
St.John's, Antigua: England and West Indies will play three Twenty20 matches and three One-Day Internationals in the Caribbean early next year, the West Indies Cricket Board announced. The three One-Day Internationals will be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua while Kensington Oval in Barbados will host the T20 games, the WICB said Saturday. The Twenty20 matches will be the last before the West Indies defend their...
06:06 PM, May 19, 2013
CLICK HERE for live ball-by-ball updates from day four of the first Test between England and New Zealand being played at Lord's in London. Day 3 Round-up: James Anderson and Steven Finn continued the good work from the previous day and bowled out New Zealand for 207. England's second innings did not get the start it needed as both openers Alastair Cook and Nick Compton departed in quick successions. Joe...
02:48 PM, May 19, 2013
London: After two days of being oppressed by New Zealand, England broke the stranglehold in impressive style to take charge halfway through the first Test at Lord's on Saturday. First, New Zealand was dismissed for 207 to give England a first-innings lead of 25, a significant amount on a tricky, soft pitch. That lead was then boosted from 25 to 205, as Joe Root and Jonathan Trott found runs easy...
11:36 PM, May 18, 2013
London: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is set to interrogate Rajasthan Royals' English recruit Owais Shah as a precautionary measure in the wake of the recent spot-fixing scandal that has rocked the ongoing Indian Premier League. Former England batsman Shah, a member of Rajasthan Royals which is at the centre of a major investigation by Delhi police after three of the team's players were arrested earlier this week...
08:05 PM, May 18, 2013
CLICK HERE for live ball-by-ball updates from day three of the first Test between England and New Zealand being played at Lord's in London. Day 2 Round-up: James Anderson took his 300th Test wicket and then ended a bold counter-attack by New Zealand's Ross Taylor as England fought back in the first Test at Lord's. The two players lit up a Lord's bathed in artificial floodlight to counter the overhead...
03:06 PM, May 18, 2013
