Carey, Khawaja shine on an opening day of twists

Steve Smith's absence hung over the first morning of the Adelaide Test in a way nobody had quite anticipated. Not absence in the abstract sense of poor form or being left out, but actual physical absence as Australia's talismanic batter and captain of the last two Tests, simply wasn't there. He'd come out before play, tried to go through his usual meticulous pre-match routine, felt the dizziness that had been troubling him persist, and made a decision. He walked off, back to the hotel, and that was that.

What Smith's late withdrawal meant was that Usman Khawaja, dropped from the squad only the evening before, found himself padding up at No.4 on the eve of his 39th birthday. This has been the pattern of his career for years now: thinking it's over, getting another chance, then making it count to keep the motor thrumming. In Sydney three years ago he thought he was done, before twin hundreds resurrected everything and gave him another lease on a Test career.

Today wasn't quite that, even if it was still dramatic. Harry Brook dropped him early, a straightforward chance put down when Khawaja was on 5, and on a pitch that was good and true under the bright Adelaide sun, there was a hundred for the taking. Khawaja made a solid 82, which was important and defining in its way, steadying the innings when steadying was needed, but the hundred that seemed inevitable didn't arrive.

Alex Carey made sure his did. The local boy, coming off an exceptional 'keeping display in Brisbane where he'd been all athleticism and assurance, batted with the kind of composure that comes from knowing these conditions inside out. His century was proper and considered, and scored at a brisk rate in keeping with the conditions and Australia's rather positive approach. The hosts closed on 326 for 8, which might have been more commanding given the conditions but it wasn't catastrophic as it seemed at a couple of moments.

England, having lost the toss and found a pitch that offered them precious little by way of assistance, can feel reasonably content with their day's work. They kept striking when wickets were needed, didn't allow the game to drift into Australian dominance, and on a day when 400 for 3 seemed possible, they kept themselves well in the contest.

Because, this must-win clash had begun poorly for them. Brydon Carse sprayed the new ball around, leaked three boundaries, and looked like a man searching for rhythm. The first wicket came against the grain of play. Jofra Archer, sharp and quick, dug one short at Jake Weatherald who fended awkwardly towards leg slip where Jamie Smith shuffled across and swallowed it cleanly. Travis Head followed soon after, caught brilliantly by Zak Crawley diving at cover point, and suddenly Australia were wobbling at 33 for 2.

What followed was a counter-punch as two Queenslanders, Khawaja and Labuschagne, put on 61 in just under 15 overs. The former especially broke free after his early reprieve, cracking 35 off the next 27 balls as England's discipline came apart at the seams. The ball went everywhere except where they wanted it, and Australia were back in control.

Then came the collapse within the collapse. First ball after lunch, Archer dropped one short at 134 kph - barely threatening - and Labuschagne half-heartedly pulled it straight to mid-wicket. Two balls later, Carse held a far sharper chance at the same position and Cameron Green, the new IPL millionaire, walked back for a two-ball duck. From 94 for 4 on a pitch offering nothing, Australia needed rescuing.

Carey and Khawaja provided it. The two left-handers added 91, Carey taking on Josh Tongue's waywardness with intent while Khawaja glided to a fifty off 81 balls as England abandoned their plans against him - the channel line from around the stumps - for a short-ball ploy that went nowhere. It should have cost them a century, but Khawaja stumbled as he slog-swept Will Jacks to deep mid-wicket when a hundred was there for the taking.

But Carey kept punching and flicking boundaries with ease deep into the final session. He was dropped on 52, Carse spilling a sharp chance in the covers, and with Josh Inglis looking bright at the other end, Australia were motoring again. Briefly. Tongue had Inglis drag one back onto his stumps for 32, and when Carse trapped Pat Cummins at short-leg with a well-set leg trap, Australia were seven down and still some way short of even 300.

Mitchell Starc had other plans. He's been a wall all series, and here he was again, refusing to budge, adding a brisk 50 with Carey who reached a famous home hundred in the process - his third in Tests, the first by a designated keeper in an Ashes Test since 2017. It was superb, composed, exactly what the situation demanded. But in keeping with the theme of the day, he too fell to a soft dismissal, out for 106 top-edging an attempted slog sweep against Jacks.

Brief scores:Australia 326/8 (Alex Carey 106, Usman Khawaja 82; Jofra Archer 3-29) vs England