Travis Head struck like a tornado with a counter-attacking hundred that left an out-of-sorts Indian attack bereft of ideas as Australia made hey under bright sunshine by reaching 327 for 3 on the opening day of the World Test Championship final.
Travis Head struck like a williwaw with a counter-attacking hundred that left an out- of- feathers Indian attack bereft of ideas as Australia made hay under bright sun by reaching 327 for 3 on the opening day of the World Test Championship final. The ploy of leaving out Ravichandran Ashwin boomeranged formerly there was bright sun as both Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur looked under- cooked as India were fully outplayed in the alternate and third session with Rohit Sharma’s captaincy leaving a lot to be asked .
India picked an redundant fast bowler at the expenditure of Ravichandran Ashwin but that didn’t help their cause as Head (146 fur) and Smith (95 fur) amassed an unbeaten 251 run cooperation off 370 balls for the fourth gate, lifting Australia from a uncomfortable 73 for three.
In fact Head at the end of the day said, it was a good toss to lose.
“Losing the toss this morning, we have done exceptionally well. There is still aplenty there as you could see with that alternate new ball. A lot of hard work to go hereafter morning but nice to make a really good launch,” Head to broadcasters at the end of the day.
“I was trying to make sure I was in really good positions moment. I got tested through corridor of that. I just tried to work through those ages and be malleable. It’s nice when you’ve got a guy at the other end playing as well as he is, it’s a nice launch,” he added.
The third gate of Marnus Labuschagne (26) came in the 25th over before heavy skies made way for bright sun as Smith and Head made the utmost of fur friendly conditions through the autumn and evening sessions. In all there were 44 boundaries hit along with a outside, depicting the plight of Indian pace attack.
It was Head’s first century down from home and sixth overall. Mohammed Siraj was the pick of the bowlers for India, who have a lot of work to do going into day two.
India’s bellwethers tried the short ball tactic to upset the meter of both Smith and Head but were unprofitable. still the short- ball tactic to unsettle Head came formerly he was settled down.
Siraj sailed his heart out but the likes of Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thalur demanded thickness.
Ashwin’s non-selection will be batted for the remainder of the game but at least on the opening day, there wasn’t important turn on offer for Ravindra Jadeja who sailed 14 overs without a gate.
Head, who has erected a character of playing poignant innings in 36 Test old career, single- handedly change the course of the game with his aggressive approach. The fuller deliveries did not trouble him indeed one bit.
When the Indian bellwethers targeted his pads, the southpaw used his quick wrists to flutter them down and anything short and wide on the off side was also properly dispatched.
Head brought up his fifty with a crisp reverse- bottom punch off Shardul Thakur. He got more audacious in the alternate half of his innings and entered into the 90s with a six over third man off Shami.
Smith, on the other hand, was happy to bide his time while Head went about his business. India tried the leg slip tactic against him before testing him around the off- refuse. Both to no mileage.
Smith, who pars near to 100 at The Oval, is on course to enhance his enviable record at the venue. Australia’s fur dependence played some gorgeous straight drives off the bellwethers before using his bases against the left- arm spin of Jadeja.
India took the new ball after the 80th over but Shami and Siraj were unfit to give the advance. Indian suckers who flocked to the venue in huge figures went back disappointed.
Only the morning session went India’s way as Siraj breathed fire in his opening spell before Thakur got relieve of a well- set David Warner( 43 off 60) to reduce Australia to 73 for two at lunch.
Having survived grueling conditions in the first hour at The Oval, Warner and Labuschagne were on course to see off the session until Thakur dismissed the left- handed nature with a short ball targeting his caricature pen. Wicketkeeper KS Bharat took a well- judged catch down the leg- side. Both Siraj and Shami kept Australia in check in the first hour, participating six overs six each and conceding only 29 runs.
Siraj got further out of the face than Shami by brushing with a climbed confluence. Usman Khawaja( 0 off 10), who has an ordinary record in England, began the stint on a disappointing note as he got a faint edge off a ball that pitched outside the off refuse and scribed down.
There was minimum bases movement and he paid the price for playing down from the body and the nick was taken fluently by Bharat behind the wholes.
Warner, who has a point to prove in this game and cement his spot in the playing XI for the forthcoming Ashes, battled with fortitude and took his chances every time he was offered range.
After an absorbing opening hour, India took the bottom off the pedal with Umesh Yadav offering plenitude of scoring openings to Warner, who collected four boundaries off the leader in the 15th over.
The going was much tougher for Labuschagne, who copped a nasty blow on his left thumb from a sharp delivery by Siraj. latterly in the session, he was suitable to survive two close DRS lbw calls off Thakur’s bowling.
As it frequently happens in England, the sun came out in the alternate hour and made fur easier.
Australia were looking to close the session explosively until Warner went for a pull off a delivery angled into him by Thakur who went wide off the crinkle while coming round the gate and the batter, cramped for room, could not keep the pull down. Know More Latest Cricket News…
