Khawaja scored an unbeaten 195 from 368 balls, including 19 boundaries and a six. Earlier on Thursday, he had partnered with Steve Smith for a record-breaking 209 runs as Smith reached his 30th Test century.
Rain caused an early finish to the second day of the third and final Test between Australia and South Africa, Usman Khawaja recorded his greatest Test score, Steve Smith hit a historic century, and Australia reached a dominant 475-4.
In front of his home Sydney Cricket Ground supporters, Khawaja scored an unbeaten 195 off 368 balls, including 19 boundaries and a six. Earlier on Thursday, he had also shared an incredible 209-run partnership with Steve Smith, who scored his 30th Test century and moved Australia up to fourth place among all-time test run scorers.
As Australia controlled a passive South Africa attack and put themselves in a great position to still force a result in a match that has frequently been delayed by poor lighting and rain, Marnus Labuschagne (79) and Travis Head (70) both struck half-centuries.
Before noon on Thursday, Khawaja surpassed his previous test high score of 174 against New Zealand in Brisbane in 2015 to move closer to his first double-century. This was his third consecutive SCG century.
On 119, Khawaja delivered a sharp shin-height opportunity that Anrich Nortje missed at gully after losing sight of the ball, giving him a chance to bat again.
Earlier, Smith scored 104 to tie Matt Hayden, a former Australia opener, for the most centuries in a test match with 30. Only Steve Waugh (32) and Ricky Ponting (41) have more among Australian men’s test cricketers. Smith scored his fourth century at his home stadium in 190 balls, including 11 boundaries and two sixes. The 27,663-strong SCG audience gave him a prolonged standing ovation. In the following over, Smith made a straightforward return catch and gave it to Keshav Maharaj (1-108)—the lone mistake in a faultless four-hour innings.
