Usman Khawaja scenes in the Ashes leaves cricket world gobsmacked

England captain Ben Stokes has left cricket purists scratching their heads after employing a remarkable field to help snare the wicket of centurion Usman Khawaja on day 3 of the Ashes. Aussie opener Khawaja helped Australia recover from a wobble to leave Australia in a strong position to start the third day's play against a bewildered English attack.

However, Australia lost 4-14 as Stokes' men changed the momentum to lead by seven runs to start the second innings. And Stokes' bold and bizarre plays to start the day caught the attention of the cricket world.

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Looking to take the wicket of Khawaja who was sitting comfortable on 141, Stokes set up a field that is rarely seen in modern cricket. Stokes had the fielders set up with six men in front of the wicket - three men on each side of the pitch - in an umbrella like trap.

Khawaja was going to have to take a risk to play the ball straight through the unusual field. And the mind games must have worked with bowler Ollie Robinson taking Khawaja's wicket with a yorker.

Robinson caused a stir with an ugly spray at Khawaja after the wicket, but the plaudits were levelled at Stokes whose bizarre field may have got into the head of the Australian opener. Stokes has reiterated his belief England will bring exciting and unusual tactics into this Ashes series to bring back the entertainment and he wasn't lying with the bizarre field placements.

Unfortunately for Australia, Khawaja's wicket ended the Aussie resistance with Cummins the only other batter to put up a decent score. Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland and Josh Hazlewood offered little resistance to the English bowlers as tempers flared after Robinson's send-off towards Khawaja.

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The first three days of the first Ashes Test has been played in great spirits so far. However, the Aussie dressing room would have noticed Robinson's send-off to Khawaja after the Aussie made a century.

Robinsons hadn't bowled particularly well compared to Stuart Broad throughout the innings, but he erupted when the England bowler heard yelling "f*** off, you f***ing prick" when he bowled the Aussie batter for 141.

The bowler was called out from viewers for the tirade at Khawaja who should have been applauded for the highest-score across both teams' first innings. The furious send-off could spark the Ashes into life with the Aussies surely waiting their turn to get a crack at the bowler when its his turn to come into bat.

Regardless, the Aussies finished the day on a high after a rain break changed the conditions as Cummins and Boland took two early wickets to leave England 2-28 to start day 4.

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