1st Time In 148 Years: Travis Head Slams 69-Ball Ton To Set World Record As Australia Clinch Ashes Test In 2 Days
Travis Head flipped the narrative and dominated the England pace bowlers with one of the great centuries in Ashes cricket on Saturday
- Travis Head scored the fastest century in a Test fourth innings from 69 balls
- It is the first time in 148 years of Tests that a century was scored in fewer than 70 balls in the 4th innings
- Thanks to Head's century, Australia won the first Ashes Test vs England by 8 wickets with three days to spare
Travis Head flipped the narrative and dominated the England pace bowlers with one of the great centuries in Ashes cricket on Saturday as Australia raced to an eight-wicket victory with three days to spare in the first Test. Head turned England's "Bazball" tactics back on the visitors, clobbering a century from 69 deliveries after being promoted up the order to open the innings when Usman Khawaja was injured. This is the fastest-ever century in the fourth innings of a Test match. This is also the first time in the 148-year history of Test cricket that a batter has slammed a ton in less than 70 balls in the fourth innings of a Test match.
In three innings across five sessions, fast bowlers were right on top as 30 wickets fell for 468 runs 113 overs in Perth - 19 on an extraordinary Day 1 and 11 before the tea interval on Day 2.
Set 205 to win, Head went in as a makeshift opener and plundered 123 from 83 balls, hitting boundaries to all parts of the ground as he hit the rope 16 times and cleared it on four occasions.
He was caught in the outfield trying to rush to victory, with Australia needing just 13 runs to win at 192-2.
Marnus Labuschagne leveled the scores with a six and was unbeaten on 51 when Australia reached 205-2.
The second test in the five-match series starts Dec. 4 at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Australia extended its unbeaten run in home Ashes tests to 16, with 14 victories and two draws since losing the 2010-11 series.
England Cricket Team
Australia Cricket Team