Gun's 'purple patch' reaps another ton on eve of Ashes

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Usman Khawaja has made different elephantine connection successful his quest to extremity his Test exile successful the archetypal lucifer of the Ashes, peeling disconnected his 2nd Sheffield Shield period successful arsenic galore games.

After resuming his innings connected 63 astatine the commencement of time two, Khawaja climbed to 119 from 184 balls to assistance found a ascendant presumption for Queensland successful their clash with Tasmania successful Townsville.

Included successful the 44-Test batter's sound were 11 fours and 4 sixes, arsenic the Bulls recorded 6-487 declared.

The hefty full was besides helped by Test archetypal driblet Marnus Labuschagne's 136 from 208, arsenic good arsenic awesome innings from erstwhile Test batters Matthew Renshaw (120 not retired from 167) and Joe Burns (79 from 188).

In different Sheffield Shield news, Test all-rounder Cameron Green registered 61 from 94 connected time 2 of Western Australia's crippled against South Australia.

Former Test batter Shaun Marsh has already compiled 1 ton and 2 half-century during the 2021-22 home season, but the 38-year-old was removed for conscionable 11 runs connected time 2 of Western Australia's fixture.

And incumbent Test opener Marcus Harris has reached stumps connected time 2 of Victoria's crippled against NSW connected 41 from 103.

Khawaja's period followed his sound of 174 disconnected 294 against South Australia astatine Adelaide Oval past week.

The left-hander hasn't played a Test since the 3rd lucifer of Australia's 2019 Ashes circuit of England, successful which helium was dismissed for 8 and 23.

But his beardown signifier successful the Sheffield Shield and the uncertainty surrounding Will Pucovski person seen Khawaja re-emerge arsenic a contender for David Warner's opening partner.

"He's excessively bully a batter to not beryllium playing Test cricket," wrote Andrew Wu of The Sydney Morning Herald connected Twitter.

Radio big Adam White wrote: "He's playing arsenic good arsenic ever and is intelligibly successful Australia's best-six batters".

Sports broadcaster Quentin Hull posted: "If Australia privation the best-six batters to acceptable up an Ashes bid past Usman Khawaja MUST play astatine The Gabba".

Sports broadcaster Glenn Mitchell wrote: "Mounting a precise beardown lawsuit for an Ashes call-up".

And writer Ben Eltham posted: "He's successful a purple patch".

Pucovski, who notched a half-century connected his Test debut against India astatine the SCG successful January, had loomed arsenic the apt enactment for Warner's opening spouse for the Ashes until helium suffered his latest concussion.

The 23-year-old Victorian was concussed portion receiving throw-downs earlier this month.

The archetypal lucifer of the Ashes is scheduled to statesman connected December 8.

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