Unstoppable Head stonewalls over being a Test opener
After more than three hours of pulverising everything that England’s demoralised bowlers could throw at him, Travis Head was finally persuaded to play a dead bat at Trent Bridge.
It was a journalist’s post-match question about whether Australia’s batter of the moment, fresh from his match-winning ton against England in the first ODI, might now be interested in making the transition from white-ball destroyer to Test match opener that prompted Head’s sudden outbreak of caution.
Asked if he had heard the chatter back home about he prospect of him moving to the top of the order to become a David Warner-style, attacking opener in the five-day game, Head just smiled: “Yeah, keep the chatter, makes it interesting.”
But pressed further, Head, who’s previously ruled himself out by saying opening is a specialist’s job, was rather less keen to keep answering. “I’m not gonna dive into that. I’ll just let that play out,” he said.
Yet Head has looked so indispensable at the top of the white-ball order, whether it be the swing-at-every-ball carnage he regularly wreaks in T20s or the more judicious 50-over masterpiece that took him to a career-best 154no on Thursday, the question is bound to keep cropping up about his suitability for the job.
Current Test opener Usman Khawaja certainly likes the idea of a reshuffle, with Steve Smith reverting to his preferred No.4 and Head jumping up from the middle order, having noted recently: “He’s obviously been very successful opening the batting in one-day cricket and, breaking it down, I’d probably lean towards him.”
Head was trialled in the Test opener’s spot in India last year, just before he launched into his fantastic 16-month spell, beginning with his player-of-the-match ton in the World Test Championship final at The Oval.
And he thrived on that tough three-Test tour, averaging 55 over his five knocks, including a best of 90 in his final innings as opener in Ahmedabad.
Opener or not, Head is doing a good impression of superman. His fantastic effort on Thursday that set up Australia’s seven-wicket win only continued a run in all formats of the game that has opponents baffled at how to counter his brilliance.
As England’s stand-in ODI coach Marcus Trescothick said after his bowlers had been smashed for 20 fours and five sixes by Head: “He’s a serious player. The form he’s in and the way he’s going about his work is very tough for us.”
Starting with those heroics at The Oval in the World Test win over India last June, Head has scored 2199 runs in all formats of the international game, including five centuries and 10 fifties, at a combined strike-rate of 110. He’s belted 77 sixes too. This is some entertainer.
And Head’s in the mood to keep the fun going, even while modestly suggesting that he got lucky by being dropped once and occasionally being completely outclassed by Jofra Archer’s blistering pace and movement. “Jof’s way too good for me,” shrugged Head.
Of course he’s not. Head is a match for the best now, as one astonishing flicked six off Archer over square leg demonstrated.
He’s playing as if he is having a whale of a time, and proud as punch he’s pummelled the highest score ever made by an Australian in an ODI in England.
“Happy days. Hopefully there’ll be more in two days time,” he smiled. The tin hats may have to be out in force in the crowd at Headingley on Saturday.
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