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The Ashes: Usman Khawaja's century on day two puts Australia in control in Sydney

Usman Khawaja shone on day two as he registered his ninth Test hundred before Australia declared on a score of 416 for eight.

England had given themselves a slice of hope on a rain-affected day one after restricting Australia to 126 for three. However, after a flurry of rain breaks prevented the tourists from gaining any rhythm in Thursday's morning session, they allowed the hosts to get away and reach 416 for eight before declaring.

It could've been a whole lot worse if not for the bowling of veteran Stuart Broad, who took five for 101.

While that does provide a glimmer of opportunity for the English batsman, it also ponders the question why he was left out of two Tests.

Broad has now taken 125 Test wickets against Australia, including five or more on eight occasions. Yet, the 35-year-old was left out of the side when the urn was on the line.

Broad did question the decision to drop him for the opening Test, and he's now quickly proving on the field why it was such a mistake by the selectors.

Usman Khawaja was one of Broad's five victims, but not before he had helped himself to his ninth Test hundred.

Khawaja has waited almost two-and-a-half years to earn a recall in the Baggy Green, and only got it thanks to Travis Head's COVID-19 diagnosis, but he marked his SCG homecoming in style.

The 35-year-old took a back seat to Steve Smith initially, taking the junior share of 33 of the 83 runs before lunch, but he gave a good account of himself in that time, showcasing the skills which later carried him to a century.

Khawaja simply had all the answers to the questions asked of him by England's bowlers. When Mark Wood tried a short ball he rolled his wrists on a textbook pull, and his ability to negate Jack Leach shut the spinner's options down from the off.

Leach did almost take his outside edge on 28, but Jos Buttler was not quite sharp enough to take it in the gloves, while Root spilled the chance to catch after it ricocheted off his thigh.

Broad eventually caught him out with a leg-cutter after tea, but the damage was already done, with Khawaja dismissed for 137 from 260 balls.

Australia's dominance with the bat carried through even to their declaration, with it coming immediately after tailender Nathan Lyon swiped Broad into the stands for six.

England's opening duo Zak Crawley and Haseeb Hameed faced 20 minutes before stumps and the former was lucky to escape a duck after Mitchell Starc was shown to have overstepped.

Having survived five overs, they will resume on 13 without loss on the third morning and England very much up against it - again.

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