ODI series: Travis Head likely to open as Australia look for answers

Talk of a whitewash is now all in England’s favour as Australia strive to find the answers in the one-day format.

Travis Head bowls in the nets at Adelaide Oval yesterday. Picture: Simon Cross

A month to the day after the Australians bounded on to the MCG salivating at the prospect of an Ashes whitewash, today they find themselves staring down their own 5-0 humiliation.

Missing the injured Aaron Finch (hamstring) and facing a ­supremely confident England, the vanquished hosts have it all against them on Australia Day.

Another loss here in Adelaide and the hosts will head to Perth with a whitewash still in play.

In an intriguing subplot, and that’s all it is as he’s only been called in as “cover”, Glenn Maxwell is back in the tent after being plucked from the wilderness.

Maxwell was summoned to Adelaide last night in case any of the Australian batsmen suffers an 11th-hour injury.

After averaging 22 in his past 20 one-day internationals, Maxwell was contentiously dumped from the initial ODI squad.

This sent his legion of admirers from Victoria and elsewhere into a frenzy and Steve Smith didn’t help matters when he suggested Maxwell needed to “train smarter”.

At the time, chairman of ­selectors Trevor Hohns said Maxwell was “still absolutely in our thoughts” but the panel just wanted to have a look at Chris Lynn in one-day colours.

With Lynn only now returning from a calf strain, Maxwell is the logical next in line to play if yet another batsman is injured.

Travis Head is the man most likely to replace Finch as David Warner’s opening partner, and why not given they piled on 284 a year ago to the day at Adelaide Oval.

The partnership remains an Australian record in ODIs. Head made 128 and Warner 179 as ­Australia amassed 7-369 against Pakistan.

Finch is a big loss — he ave­rages 91.66 in the series — but Head is a ready-made replacement. The SA skipper opens the batting in one-day domestic cricket, and will be playing on his home ground a year to the day after making his sole ODI hundred, as an opener.

So Finch’s injury is just the lucky break Head needed. After scores of five and seven, Head was dropped for the third rubber in Sydney last Sunday.

“If I get my opportunity, hopefully I can do the same (as last Australia Day),” Head said in Adelaide yesterday.

“It’s a beautiful batting wicket and plenty of runs out there.

“I feel like I’ve been playing well in the Big Bash, but I’m pretty disappointed with the way I’ve started in this series.

“I was probably a little bit indecisive in my decision-making, which cost me. And I don’t think you can be.”

In making 58 for the Strikers against the Renegades on Monday, Head rediscovered his touch and will be delighted if he’s asked to bat in his preferred opening position today.

“I think everyone in world cricket would say the same thing in white ball cricket, to bat as high as they possibly can,” he said.

The likely return of local boy Head at the top of the order is just the fillip CA needs to boost today’s crowd.

The game’s dead-rubber status and competition with the Big Bash had officials anticipating a turnout of fewer than 30,000 in the 50,000-plus capacity Adelaide Oval.

A slight downgrading of the 40C forecast to 38C might also lure some Croweaters off their couches.

At least the locals have the ­enhanced prospect of seeing the big-three pace attack in action after Jhye Richardson was released to play in the Big Bash last night.

Mitchell Starc sent down a fiery spell in the Adelaide nets yesterday. Josh Hazlewood bowled but was seen with an ice pack on his bowling wrist.

If he is ruled out, then Andrew Tye will play.

After winning the Ashes in Perth, a 5-0 scoreline for the series was the Australians’ stated aim heading into the Boxing Day Test, but a plucky England and a flaccid MCG pitch conspired against the hosts and a draw in Melbourne ended the whitewash dream.

A month later, the sides’ fortunes have been reversed. Even their language is all upside-down.

A month ago, an exasperated Joe Root desperately searched for a weakness in the Australian Test side.

Yesterday, Head said the Australians needed to “find a way to beat” England.

If the hosts needed any further motivation, they need look no further than Moeen Ali’s comments yesterday.

“Everyone wants to get on the park and make it 4-0,” the English allrounder said.

“It’s a series that means a lot after the Ashes. Everyone is keen to make history here.

“To be 3-0 up here for the first time ever is fantastic, and we really are determined to win 5-0.”

The final match of the series is on Sunday at the new Perth ­stadium.