Khawaja, Burns subdue West Indies

Amid the almost concurrent celebrations that rang out in recognition of centuries to Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja at the MCG came a justifiable purr of satisfaction from the national selectors.
Facing what is euphemistically regarded as a "good problem" – that being too many in-form candidates for the number of available vacancies – the selectors stayed true to their stated "pick and stick" philosophy amid considerable conjecture.
Much of it centred on whether Khawaja – having been sidelined for a month with a hamstring strain – should return to the Test team at the expense of Shaun Marsh, who scored a career-high 182 in the previous Test against the West Indies in Hobart.
Or if both Khawaja and Marsh should retain their places, and Burns should pay the price for a lean run of scores in recent innings and surrender his berth as an opener.
A scenario that Burns himself was resigned to, according to what former Test opener Chris Rogers revealed on ABC Grandstand after Burns had notched his ton, in the same over that Khawaja reached his milestone.

Now, with a near-record second-wicket partnership of 258 that has all but guaranteed Australia will again retain the Frank Worrell Trophy they’ve held for 20 years the once parlous batting pair have shored up their places for the foreseeable future.

read full report at cricket.com.au