Cricket Australia ask for elaboration on Khawaja’s Perth words after he went on record to call it a s*** wicket.
Cricket Australia to ask Khawaja for explanation of “s***” pitch comments.
As they consider whether to punish Usman Khawaja for calling the Perth surface a “piece of s***,” Cricket Australia officials will meet with the opener this week and ask him to defend himself.
Just one day after receiving the highest possible rating of “very good” from the ICC, Khawaja caused a stir on Friday when he struck out at the surface for the first Test.
He also cited the fact that Australia and India lost 17 wickets in the series opener last year and 19 wickets against England on the first day this year.
The comments are thought to have disappointed CA officials, who will talk to Khawaja in camp before the second Ashes Test at the Gabba.
With only 847 balls bowled over the entire match, the Perth Test was the shortest in Australia in 93 years and the second shortest in the nation’s history.
“Nineteen wickets on the first day and about 20 people got hit. That’s a great wicket, that seems real fair,” Khawaja said at the luncheon. “The same thing happened last year in the India Test. It’s just that day-one wicket, the ball just does not react.
“Steve Smith’s by far the best cricketer I’ve ever played with and he’s missing the middle of his bat by a long way. He does not miss the middle of his bat, (yet) he’s getting hit in the elbow.
“So day-one wicket at Perth is a piece of shit, I’m happy to say that. Has been last year, it was this year.”
Khawaja was adamant the Perth pitch was still not good enough, with his main issue being variable bounce.
“You can’t really predict up and down. Up and down is the hardest. Sideways is little bit easier,” he said. But up and down, your hands can’t catch up. They do get better. Day two, day three and then day four, they start to crack up and cure again.
“Whenever we play at Perth, it’s one of the few places we win the toss, bat first, hoping that we can bat again maybe at the end of day two and into day three.”