Travis Head silences his doubters with a tough MCG hundred against New Zealand
Travis Head has silenced his doubters in the most emphatic fashion, producing a gritty hundred to guide Australia to a commanding position on day two of the Boxing Day Test.
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Update: Travis Head was trying to work through his confusion while walking slow laps with coach Justin Langer after being dropped for the final Ashes Test at The Oval in September.
He’d made a 50 in the opener at Edgbaston, then kept England’s bowlers at bay with a gritty 41 not out in tough conditions to force a draw at Lord’s.
Despite boasting a career average over 40, and with plenty of Head fans predicting Test captaincy in his future, security in the side had for some reason remained an issue.
Even after making 56 in the first Test against New Zealand against Perth, Head was staring down the barrel of missing a Boxing Day berth if the plan to play five bowlers had gone ahead.
But by pounding out an enduring MCG hundred, on a wicket even batting genius Steve Smith said was hard to come to grips with, Head provided a telling blow to any idea the 25-year-old could be easily cast aside any more.
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“It’s not going to be pretty, it’s about getting the job done,” Head said during a conversation in England, after being ribbed by teammates for being one of the ugliest net batsmen they had ever seen.
It was a bit like that too at the MCG, with more than a few of the wafts outside off stump that so often have gotten Head in to trouble. There were also a couple of French cuts that whizzed past his stumps for good measure.
But Head certainly got the job done.
It was an effort of patience too, as Head faced more balls (234) than in any of his previous 26 Test innings, including his 161 (off 204 balls) against Sri Lanka February.
Head went to tea 98 not out, after batting out a maiden before the break, anxiously fending off six balls all aimed at his stumps.
Then after tea he watched as Tim Paine went out, Mitch Starc too, waiting for his turn to score just two runs.
But finally, with a drive through gully for four off his 222nd ball, Head pumped his fist and let out an almighty roar of relief, delivering the second Test century which could prove the catalyst for so much more.
Before the Boxing Day Test began, Head boasted a better batting average through his first 15 matches than some of the best Australia batsmen ever.
Better than Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke. Better than even than his coach Justin Langer and the Waugh twins too.
That group of players all enjoyed selection consistency, something Head could now prosper from after an innings which also drove his team towards an unbeatable position.
Head was the only surviving member of the Australian top six from the 2018 Boxing Day defeat by India.
He batted at five in that game, but had been pushed to number six for this home summer on the back of dual Ashes hundreds from Matthew Wade.
All the goodwill from Wade’s efforts in England however is starting to dry up, with plenty questioning his capacity to find a way around the short-ball assault.
Head endured a targeted attack himself, as Neil Wagner aimed at his hip with a man at short leg ready to snare anything the batsman couldn’t control.
But Head never really gave a chance there, standing high on his toes or even jumping to push the ball away from the eager catcher.
It wasn’t pretty, but Head got the job done, better than everyone else.
Hussey: Head has secured middle spot
Travis Head should never have been under selection pressure in the first place however his breakthrough century on the MCG will now “keep the wolves at bay” for Australia’s vice-captain.
Batting great Mike Hussey loved the way Head dug deep on a tricky wicket to grind New Zealand’s bowlers into the dirt as Australia posted 467 in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test.
“He’s pretty much cemented his place in that middle order,” Hussey, a Fox Cricket expert commentator, told the Herald Sun.
“Travis Head had to fight pretty hard at various stages as well, but was able to get through that.
“Personally, I didn’t think he was under pressure – but people start talking. He’s been able to get some good starts in the last six months or so, but hasn’t quite been able to go on and nail that big hundred.
“He’s a fighting player, and he’s a positive player in the middle order, but it was just good for him to break through that barrier today.”
Head, who turns 26 on Sunday, is widely rated as Australia’s next Test captain – provided he stays in the team.
But after Head became Australia’s first No.6 to score a Test ton at the MCG since Ricky Ponting in 1997, his position in the middle order has never looked more secure.
Head was trapped in the 90s for more than 40 balls – and went to tea on 98 not-out – before celebrating just days after selectors considered punting him for uncapped allrounder Michael Neser.
Head’s 114 (234) included punishing partnerships with Steve Smith and captain Tim Paine.
New Zealand’s short-ball tactics put the brakes on Australia’s scoring but failed to deliver many wickets. Hussey said that was simply because Australia batted with too much patience and maturity.
Hussey said James Pattinson’s wicket of Kiwi captain Kane Williamson would be “massive” for the Victorian’s confidence.
But he was unsure Paine should’ve been given out lbw on review.
“It’s hard to argue with the technology, but to the naked eye I felt it hit him outside the line – but we were proven wrong,” Hussey said.
- Sam Landsberger