Australia reduced South Africa to 149 for six at the close of play on the fourth day of the rain-disrupted third test on Saturday after declaring on 475-4 in pursuit of a victory that would give them a 3-0 series sweep. However, the declaration came at a cost as Usman Khawaja, Australia's star left-handed batter, was left stranded at 195 in the innings.
The poor weather that had washed out the best part of two days of the match finally relented at lunch and Australia immediately declared to allow the bowlers as much time as possible to dismiss the tourists twice.
Khawaja has now reacted to the declaration coming with him being on the brink of a major landmark, and revealed his conversation with captain Cummins on the same.
“The plan was always to bat in the morning. The rain was the only thing that was going to halt it – and it rained at the worst time,” Khawaja told Triple M Cricket.
“Every time we thought we were going to get on, a little bit of rain would come through. Then they took the covers off and there were a few muddy patches. It just kept getting less likely and less likely (we would bat)," said Khawaja.
Khawaja said that he put the team's interest on priority and told Cummins to do “whatever you need to do to win the Test match.”
{{/usCountry}}Khawaja said that he put the team's interest on priority and told Cummins to do “whatever you need to do to win the Test match.”
{{/usCountry}}“I knew obviously Patty wanted to bowl at some stage … before he even came up to me and talked to me, I could sort of read the sign. I honestly just went up to him and went: ‘Patty, whatever you need to do to win this Test match, just do it. I love playing for Australia and you know if I‘m not playing this game to win this game, it’d be wrong for me to ask to go out there for two or three overs and just do what you feel is right.
“I got in first. I don’t want him to come to me. I just went: ‘Mate, you make the decision, take the emotion out of it and do what you need to do.’ I made the initiative to make sure I got up to him first,” said Khawaja.