Usman Khawaja has made history with Glamorgan, becoming their first player to score consecutive centuries in his first three games for the county.
Khawaja battled and then danced his way to a 140-ball 103 against Northamptonshire on the second day of their County Championship Division Two clash. It propped up Glamorgan’s total on an otherwise miserable day for the county.
Glamorgan were shot out for 254, before Ben Duckett’s century and his 169-run opening-wicket partnership with Luke Procter helped extend Northants’ lead to 196.
Despite that, Khawaja’s knock stood out. He was on 71 at the fall of the ninth wicket, but accelerated thereafter to bring up his century in a jiffy – his 25th first-class century included 16 fours and two sixes.
KHAWAJA// Congratulations to @Uz_Khawaja – the first player in @GlamCricket history to score a ? in each of his first three @CountyChamp matches, surpassing Javed Miandad and Shaun Marsh #GoGlam pic.twitter.com/dSug0z7EhC
— Glamorgan Cricket ? (@GlamCricket) June 26, 2018
In his two previous outings, the Australian left-hand batsman had scored 126 and 125 against Derbyshire and Warwickshire respectively, but he admitted this third century was the hardest, coming as it did on a tricky pitch.
“I found it the toughest pitch we’ve played on yet,” he told BBC Sport Wales after play on the second day. “But their guys batted really well and made it look easy. It’s a long way back so we’re going to have to bowl well in the morning.
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“It’s always nice to score runs. I’ve been enjoying my cricket since I’ve been here in Cardiff and Glamorgan, so hopefully that’ll keep happening. But it would have been nicer with a few wickets.”
There were a few hiccups Khawaja had to deal with to make it in time for the tournament, but things seem to have worked out nicely since.
RECORD// A momentous occasion @SophiaGardens as @Uz_Khawaja becomes the first Glamorgan player to score 3️⃣ first-class ?s in his first 3️⃣ first-class matches #GoGlam pic.twitter.com/pq5HxPYAHl
— Glamorgan Cricket ? (@GlamCricket) June 26, 2018
“There were a few ifs and buts whether I could get here in time (to play Championship matches) because I was waiting for a visa in India,” the 31-year-old revealed. “I got here with not much time to spare before my first game, got that first hundred, and it’s nice it’s flowed on from there. I’m having fun in the middle.”
Khawaja missed out on selection in Australia’s one-day international squad for their five-match series in England – they were whitewashed 5-0 – and he admitted his disappointment recently.
He will hope to carry on this form in Australia A’s tour of India in August.
