Travis Head statue call for Adelaide Oval after historic Ashes century

South Australian cricket legends have called for Travis Head to be immortalised with an Adelaide Oval statue after his historic Ashes century that stunned the cricket world.

Members of SA cricket royalty have called for a statue of Travis Head at Adelaide Oval and for him to be the next Australian Test captain in the wake of the dashing left-hander’s historic Ashes century in Perth.

Former Australian coach Darren Lehmann is among those wanting Head to join him, Jason Gillespie, George Giffen, Clem Hill and Don Bradman as cricketers honoured with a statue at the Oval.

“He’s going to do a lot more in the game than Dizzy (Gillespie) and I have ever done,” Lehmann said. “I’m just so pleased for him.”

Head flew back to Adelaide yesterday to be reunited with his wife Jess and children Milla, three, and Harrison, one, amid a global chorus of exaltation after scoring the second-fastest century in Ashes history to lead Australia to victory against England in less than two days.

Jess Head surprised Travis by bringing Milla to the airport. Her dad’s plane touched down about 2.30pm, and when he emerged, Milla sprinted towards him with a huge smile before getting scooped up for a big hug.

“Really happy to be back,” he said. “It was a nice surprise to see Milla – just the best thing … it was fun.”

Travis Head's wife Jess surprised him at Adelaide airport with daughter Milla. Picture: Dean Martin

Jess Head said she and Milla had watched his historic innings at home with family and friends, including son Harrison, on Saturday.

The couple met during their school days at Trinity College in Gawler.

“He’s very humble and very down-to-earth,” she said. “He’s still the same person he was at school, when we were first dating. He deserves every achievement he’s received – what you see is what you get with Trav.”

Lehmann, who was at Optus Stadium in Perth watching the drama unfold, rated Head’s performance as one of the top five innings in nearly 150 years of Ashes cricket.

“It was an amazing knock considering the game situation and having to go from (batting at) five to open and take the new ball against a high quality pace attack,” Lehmann said. “And then to blaze it to all parts of the ground was something you could only dream of as a kid. To watch it first hand was something quite special.

“I was so proud of Travis, as a South Australian. To see someone dominate a Test match like that – and he’s done it on the world stage now many times under real pressure – it was an unbelievable performance.”

Australia's Travis Head celebrates his Ashes century in Perth, Picture: AP Photo/Gary Day

Lehmann said Head’s hand-eye co-ordination and belief in his own ability was second to none, his work ethic was underrated and his knack of hitting good balls for four to put pressure on the bowlers made him elite.

Lehmann’s former Australian and South Australian teammate Greg Blewett said a statue of Head at or near Adelaide Oval would “go beautifully” once he retired, and said there was no reason the current vice-captain could not one day captain his country.

Blewett said on Sunday he was still buzzing about Head’s innings and the standing ovation, even from the Barmy Army, when he walked off the ground was “one of the best things in sport I’ve ever seen”.

Media personality and former state cricketer Ken “KG” Cunningham said that selectors should consider promoting Head to opening the batting full-time in Test cricket.

“It’s well worth the thought of asking him to open the innings full time and then have a statue at the Adelaide Oval,” Cunningham said.

“When Pat Cummins was unavailable through injury, I said I would have appointed him (Head) as captain.

Head’s performance is being hailed as one of the top five innings in nearly 150 years of Ashes cricket. Picture: Patrick Hamilton/AFP

“And I say that with all due respects to Steven Smith but, to me, Travis Head is the future. When we talk about the captaincy, when Pat Cummins decides to call it a day, he should be our next Australian captain.”

Head’s former school principal Nick Hately said the cricketer demonstrated leadership qualities when he was a student at Trinity College, and a statue at Adelaide Oval was “inevitable”.

Brodie Barker, Head’s former junior teammate at South Gawler and a lifelong friend, also backed a call for a statue at Adelaide Oval. “Let’s make it happen,” he said.

An SA Cricket Association spokesman refused to be drawn into commenting about a statue for Head at Adelaide Oval.

Originally published as Travis Head statue call for Adelaide Oval after historic Ashes century