Cricket Australia to ask Khawaja for explanation of ‘s***’ pitch comments

Cricket Australia officials will meet with Usman Khawaja this week and ask the opener to explain himself over criticism of the Perth pitch, as they weigh up whether to sanction him for labelling it a “piece of s***”.

Khawaja raised eyebrows on Friday when he hit out at the surface for the first Test, just a day after the ICC handed it the highest possible rating of “very good”.

Speaking at a fundraising lunch for the Usman Khawaja Foundation, he criticised the wicket’s variable bounce during Australia’s eight-wicket win.

He also pointed to the fact 19 wickets were lost on day one this year against England, and 17 last year in the series opener between Australia and India.

CA officials are believed to be disappointed by the remarks, and will speak with Khawaja in camp ahead of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba.

The Perth Test was the shortest in Australia in 93 years, and the second shortest of all time in the country, with just 847 balls bowled in the entire match.

“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 s***, I’m happy to say that. Has been last year, it was this year.”

CA this week praised the wicket, with chief of cricket James Allsopp saying the ICC’s rating had justified head office’s view the pitch provided “a fair balance between bat and ball”.

The rating also shone a light on England’s poor batting, which was labelled “brainless” by the likes of former England opener Geoffrey Boycott after they faced just 68.3 overs across two innings.

But 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.”

Khawaja’s talk with officials comes with pressure on his spot at the top of the order, with concerns over both his fitness and form in Perth.

Back spasms meant he was unable to open for Australia in either innings in Perth, allowing for Travis Head to score a match-winning century in the fourth-innings chase.

Khawaja is confident he will be fit to play in Brisbane, with his back having improved, while also insisting he had paid no attention to calls for him to be dropped from the side and Head moved up to open the batting. (ESPNcricinfo)