Ashes 1st Test: Rapid-fire Travis Head century puts Australia to a standstill against England on day 2 Cricket News – Times of India

Brisbane: travis head On the second day of the Ashes Test on Thursday, he smashed a century to crush England’s hopes at the Gabba. Australia were 343–7 at the end of the game, leading to a total of 196 of 147 in England’s disappointing first innings.
Head scored 112 off just 95 balls with Mitchell Starc who was 10 not out.
England threatened a comeback after tea when Ollie Robinson took two wickets in successive deliveries, but Head’s attacking knock dashed any hopes of a miraculous improvement.
Head comes to the crease after 189-3 with Australia Steve Smith Just before tea, Mark Wood was dismissed to keeper Jos Buttler.

He then saw David Warner (94) and Cameron Green depart for Robinson’s precise seamer after the break, with Australia still only 89 runs ahead.
But 27-year-old Head attacked from the start and was particularly harsh on spinners Jack Leach and Joe Root,

He hit two sixes and 12 fours in his century, his third overall and the first since the Boxing Day Test against New Zealand in 2019.
Leach, 1-95 in 11 overs, failed to claim any control and with Ben Stokes also struggling for fitness, captain Root had to rely heavily on his three-man seam attack.

Earlier, Warner tried his luck in the first two seasons.
The gritty opener was bowled a no-ball by Stokes before lunch, then dropped by Rory Burns in the first over after the break, before Haseeb Hameed hit a simple run-out for Warner’s 60.
Warner’s fortunes began in the opening season when Stokes bowled him at the age of 17, but the all-rounder had overstepped to relieve the Australian opener.
It was later revealed that technical issues were at the heart of the no-ball drama.

Television replays showed that Stokes had also overstepped in the first three balls of his over, but nothing was said.
This led to suggestions that had he been called up earlier by the umpires, he would have adjusted his run-up and Warner’s prized wicket – on Stokes’ fourth delivery – could stand.
Cricket Australia later said that the technique used by TV umpires to prevent no balls was not working.
England needed to take all their chances to maintain their hopes of recovering anything from the first Test after a poor start on Wednesday, when they were bowled out in just 50.1 catastrophic overs.

He got off to a good start when Robinson took his first Ashes wicket, Marcus Harris, with a score of 10.
England entered the Test without veteran fast bowler Jimmy Anderson Stuart BroadSurprised many people including the Australian captain Pat Cummins,
But Robinson, Chris Woakes’ seam attack and Wood’s quick pace enabled the Aussie batsmen to knock them down quickly with some hard and precise bowling.
Robinson was particularly dangerous and found success when he pushed Harris to play a ball forward, which left him slightly off, the Australian opener reaching second slip, where David Malan took a nice low catch.

Warner and Marnus Labuschagne consolidated but late in the second session Labuschagne cut Leach to Wood in an effort to fall for 74 at backward point.
Soon thereafter Wood, who bowled at genuine pace throughout the day, gave England some excitement when he removed the dreaded Smith – often England’s torment – in the final over of the second session.

When Warner patted Stokes a short delivery from Robinson at short cover after tea and then Green put his hand on the shoulder and bowled the next delivery, England must have had some confidence.
But Head’s flamboyant knock was soon dismissed.