Travis Head celebrated a century in the fourth consecutive test on his home ground by taking off his helmet and gloves, dropping to his knees, and kissing the pitch – a move that has become his trademark “Travball” on Day 3 of the third Ashes test.
Head’s Century and Celebration
Head’s 103 came after a reprieve at 99 when a Jofra Archer delivery was dropped by Harry Brook at gully. He had fended a Joe Root tweaker, taken a quick single, and then been sent back by partner Alex Carey. Facing eight balls without scoring at 99, he drove the ball over Root’s head to the long-on boundary to reach 103.
His 11th century in 63 tests and second in five innings since moving to open the innings in Perth helped seal Australia’s eight-wicket win to open the series. By stumps Friday, Head was unbeaten on 142, and his unbroken partnership with fellow South Australian Alex Carey (52) was 122. Australia stood at 271-4, leading by 356.
Head said his new-look celebration was designed to get a laugh out of his teammates. “I got the rise out of the dressing room that I expected,” he said in comments published by Fox Sports. He added, more seriously, that his hometown “wicket has looked after me over the last few years. “I didn’t think I’d get one, so to get four (centuries at the Adelaide Oval) is not too bad. I felt alright.”
Brook took two excellent catches in the slips to remove Marnus Labuschagne (13) and Cameron Green (7) off Josh Tongue’s bowling, but the one he missed against Head was costly.
England’s Ninth-Wicket Stand
England had been dismissed for 286 just before lunch, after Ben Stokes and Archer helped cut the first-innings margin to 85 with a record 106-run ninth-wicket stand. Stokes walked off the field yelling at himself and shaking his head after being bowled for 83 by Mitchell Starc, ending a 198-ball innings that had dragged his team back into the contest.
With England on the verge of collapsing at 168-8, Stokes joined forces with No. 10 Archer to bat out the evening session. The pair resumed Friday with England at 213-8, still 158 behind. Australia wanted to clean up the last two wickets quickly, but Stokes and Archer, who took a five-wicket haul when England was bowling, dug in.
Stokes stepped down the wicket to Scott Boland for a driven boundary to bring up the 50 partnership off 89 balls, then raised his half-century with a single off 159 deliveries. It was his slowest 50 in test cricket – his 37th – but vital for his team. Not long after, Archer took a single off Cummins to reach his first test half-century off 97 balls, bringing England’s deficit under 100.
The innings ended relatively quickly after left-armer Starc bowled Stokes with a delivery from over the wicket that angled back. The Stokes-Archer partnership was the highest ever for the ninth wicket for England at Adelaide.
Impact on England’s Bowling
All that time in the sun had an impact on England’s bowling attack. Archer, who took five wickets in the first innings, took 0-15 in 10 overs on Friday. Stokes, England’s highest wicket-taker this year, didn’t bowl and had to leave the field for a short while in the evening session.
England is capable of tracking down a big target in the fourth innings, chasing 370-plus against India twice in the last three years, so Bazball won’t be completely dispensed with despite Stokes’ stoic first innings.
Key Takeaways
- Travis Head’s century and celebratory gesture highlighted Australia’s dominant start to the series.
- England’s record ninth-wicket stand by Stokes and Archer kept the match within reach.
- England’s bowling attack has been affected by the long day, raising questions about its effectiveness in the final test.
The third Ashes test remains a showcase of both teams’ resilience and strategic depth, with Australia’s batting prowess and England’s determined partnership keeping fans on edge.
