Usman Khawaja has shone once again on the site of his famous return to the Australian Test team last year, notching a career-high 195 not out on day two against South Africa at the SCG.
Khawaja made twin centuries in the penultimate Ashes Test last year when he was recalled to the Test team for the first time since 2019 and continued along that route with his third straight ton at the ground in the final Test against the Proteas.
However, once again, Sydney’s weather intervened to leave him stranded five runs short of his first Test double century, as an early stumps was called with Australia 4-475.
His day two performance was simply sublime, barely offering a chance to the increasingly frustrated South African attack, an attack whose spirit has been collectively crushed by Australia’s batting domination.
Khawaja — who was given the Alan McGilvray medal for the ABC’s Test cricketer of the year in 2022 in the morning before play started — reached 100, with an average of 115, in seven Tests at the SCG, having scored four centuries in Sydney.
He ended the day still unbeaten, averaging just under 131.
“There’s a lot of special feelings here,” he told Fox Sports as he left the ground for lunch.
“I grew up just up the road. My parents, my family’s here watching and my new family, with Rachel and my two kids, are here too. I’ve got friends out in the crowd.
“It’s always an honour to score runs here.”
He is just the fourth man to score three Test tons in three consecutive innings at the SCG, after Wally Hammond, Doug Walters and VVS Laxman.
Khawaja moved past his best mark at the ground — 171 in the 2017-18 Ashes series and his previous Test best of 174, scored against New Zealand at the Gabba in 2015 — before the rain stopped him ticking off the ultimate milestone.
He was not alone in piling runs on South Africa.
Steve Smith joined him on three figures in the second session of the day, going one better than the great Sir Donald Bradman with his 30th Test century.
However, Smith only faced two more balls before he nudged one straight back to South African bowler Keshav Maharaj, gifting the spinner his first wicket of the series.
Smith’s replacement, Travis Head, came out swinging from the off, the onslaught only interrupted by a brief stoppage for more rain immediately after tea, marching to his 12th Test half-century in just 47 balls, taking 67 minutes to do so.
It was Head’s fifth score of 50 or more in the summer, making him the only Australian to score a half-century in every Test as he continues to nail down his spot in the middle order ahead of difficult tours of India and England later this year.
He rollicked along to 70 in just 59 balls before holing out to Rassie van der Dussen at deep square leg as the batters appeared to be accelerating towards a declaration in the evening.
Despite testing positive for COVID-19, recalled Matt Renshaw came out to bat a number six and made it to 5 off 11 before any plans for a late look at South Africa’s shaky top order were wiped out by rain in the final session.