Khawaja clobbers Irish

TWO weeks ago Usman Khawaja was not part of the Australian squad to tour SA‚ but on Tuesday he smashed his team to victory in their one-day international against Ireland.

Khawaja‚ who replaced the injured Mitchell Marsh‚ scored an unbeaten 82 in Australia’s ninewicket win.

Ireland’s total of 198 is their highest in five ODIs against Australia‚ but that was too low a hurdle for Steve Smith’s men — who won with 19.5 overs to spare.

Khawaja drilled his runs off 77 balls and hit eight fours and two sixes.

He shared 73 in a first-wicket stand with David Warner at 8.42 runs per over.

Then Khawaja and Steve Smith won the match with their unbroken partnership of 126. Smith finished not out on 59.

Australian leg spinner Adam Zampa took 3/37‚ bowled the only maiden of the match‚ and claimed Ireland captain William Porterfield and respected hitter Kevin O’Brien.

The Australians bowled well as a unit and the pressure told on Ireland‚ who were 121/2 in the 24th over before losing their last eight wickets for 77 runs in 20 overs.

That Porterfield‚ Paul Stirling‚ John Anderson and O’Brien all reached 20 but all failed to make it to 40 tells its own story of unfinished beginnings.

Significant partnerships were limited to the opening stand of 47 by Porterfield and Stirling and the 49 shared by Porterfield and Anderson for the third wicket.

The most luckless Irish batsman was Sean Terry‚ who was so intent on watching the umpire’s reaction to the leg-before appeal after the first ball debutant Daniel Worrall faced, he did not seem to realise he had wandered out of his ground. Smith’s direct hit from slip ran Terry out. TMG Digital