Khawaja's Fifty Highlights Rain-Interrupted Sheffield Shield Day

Usman Khawaja's solid half-century stood out amid the disruptions caused by rain on the second day of the Sheffield Shield match between Queensland and New South Wales at Cricket Central in Sydney.

Khawaja, showcasing his class and experience, scored 58 runs, helping Queensland reach 96 for 2 in response to New South Wales' first innings total of 239. His performance provided a much-needed anchor for Queensland as they sought to build momentum in the match.

The day was marred by wet weather, with only one ball bowled in the final two sessions before play was called off for the day. Earlier in the day, Khawaja demonstrated his intent with a couple of sixes, including a powerful slog over long off against Tanveer Sangha, which marked his second first-class half-century of the summer.

However, the match was not without its controversies. About an hour into play, NSW's Ryan Hadley thought he had caught Khawaja at fine leg off Sangha's bowling, but after consultation with the umpires, Khawaja was allowed to continue his innings. This incident occurred when Khawaja was on 29 runs. Earlier, he had also survived an lbw appeal from Josh Hazlewood.

The New South Wales bowlers started strongly, with Hazlewood and Jack Edwards combining to deliver six consecutive maiden overs, creating early pressure on Queensland. However, Queensland's Matt Renshaw broke the deadlock with a thick edge to the boundary before being trapped lbw by Sangha on 25 runs, failing to capitalize on his opportunity to reestablish his Test credentials.

As rain continued to affect play, Khawaja edged a delivery from Edwards to Ollie Davies in the slips, leading to the players retreating to the pavilion before another delivery could be bowled. With Queensland still trailing by 143 runs, the outcome of the match remains uncertain as weather conditions play a pivotal role in the unfolding contest.