England captain Ben Stokes said his team won’t take ‘baggage’ to Brisbane after a heavy defeat in Perth, which was sealed by a ‘special knock’ from Australia’s Travis Head, who smashed a 69-ball century to chase down 205 runs.
England captain Ben Stokes has said that his team would not take baggage from the defeat in the first Test in Perth, which the team lost within two days due to some exceptional performance by Australian batters. “…When we get to Brisbane we need to be back up to that mindset of how we came to the series before this game and we are still very confident about our abilities and achieving the goal. It should be so crucial not to take any baggage from this result,” Stokes said in post-match press conference .
Stokes praises Head’s ‘incredible, special knock’
Stokes was full of praise for Head’s match-winning knock. “That was a pretty incredible, special knock from Travis. He had answer to absolutely everything, and he really took the bowlers on and that was some knock,” the England captain added, acknowledging how Head’s intent completely derailed England’s plans.
Head leads Australia’s aggressive run-chase
The second Ashes Test will begin in Brisbane on December 4, with England aiming to level the series. During the run-chase of 205 runs starting in the final session, openers Travis Head and Jake Weatherald came for the chase, with Usman Khawaja once again not coming to open.
In the fourth and fifth over, both Head and Weatherald scored their first boundaries, sending out signals of a storm to come.
In eighth over, Head slammed Brydon Carse for a ramped six over slips and then a four, upping the ante.
Another six flying over Ben Duckett over third man by Head brought Australia to their 50-run mark in just 9.3 overs.
Aussies were 58/0 at the end of 10 overs, with Weatherald (18*) and Head (38*) unbeaten and the latter being the aggressor.
Even Mark Wood’s express pace was not safe from Head’s onslaught.
The partnership lasted 75 runs as Carse produced a breakthrough for England, removing Weatherald for a 34-ball 23 with three fours.
Head completed his half-century in just 36 balls, with three fours and three sixes.
In the 17th over by skipper Ben Stokes, Head brutalized him with a hat-trick of fours, bringing up 100-run mark in 16.3 overs and scoring a total of four boundaries in the overs, looting a total of 17 runs.
Marnus Labuschagne and Head continued this spectacle of aggressive Test batting, effectively reversing England’s ‘Bazball’ card on themselves, not even sparing Jofra Archer. He was smashed for two fours and a six and conceded 16 runs in his 19th over.
At the end of 20 overs, Australia was 136/1, with Head (92*) and Labuschagne (18*) unbeaten, having put up a 61-run stand with 43 of them coming from Head.
Head continued his onslaught, bringing up his century in 69 balls, the second-fastest in Ashes history after legendary Adam Gilchrist’s 57-ball ton at Perth back in 2007.
In his 123-run innings, he smashed a total of 16 boundaries and four maximums. (ANI)
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