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- AUS vs ENG Highlights, 1st Ashes Test Day 2: Travis Head's 123 powers Australia to 8-wicket win over England; first two-day Ashes since 1921
AUS vs ENG Highlights, 1st Ashes Test Day 2: Travis Head's 123 powers Australia to 8-wicket win over England; first two-day Ashes since 1921
The contest, played in intense heat and in front of a vocal crowd, swung dramatically after England began day two with a narrow advantage. Their position looked comfortable at 65 for 1, but the afternoon session brought a collapse that altered the match entirely. Scott Boland rediscovered rhythm and accuracy, removing Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook in a rapid burst. Mitchell Starc, who had already taken a career-best 7-58 on the opening day, added Joe Root and Ben Stokes to complete a ten-wicket haul.
A lower-order partnership between Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse pushed England to 164, setting Australia a target of 205. But the chase quickly became one-sided. With Usman Khawaja still managing back stiffness, Head was sent in to open and immediately seized control of the innings. He hammered England’s attack, clearing the infield with ease, striking multiple sixes and racing to a half-century in 36 balls. His eventual 69-ball hundred — one of the highlights of the match — carried Australia to within touching distance of victory.
Head reflected on the whirlwind outcome, saying: “Wow, what a couple of days. It’s been unbelievable… To be able to contribute the way I did, it feels pretty special.” Stokes acknowledged the damage, admitting England were left “a little bit shell-shocked” by the swing in play and Head’s scoring rate.
Debutant Jake Weatherald added a brisk 23 before falling to a miscued pull, leaving Head and Marnus Labuschagne to continue the chase. Even after Head departed for 123, the result was only a formality. Labuschagne’s calm 51* and Steve Smith’s brief stay sealed the eight-wicket win.
The match’s brevity, shaped by fast scoring and equally fast collapses, set the tone for what promises to be an intense series.
- Travis Head 26 (25)
- Jake Weatherald 13 (23)
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, Bangs it short and on off, Travis Head gets on his toes and blocks it watchfully.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, On a length, punched to mid off by Head.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, FOUR! Wow, that is some shot! Around the off stump, on a good length. Travis Head stays back, allows himself to get some room and cuts it over cover-point for a boundary. Australia are really up and running in the run chase as Head looks in an ODI mode. They need 166 runs to win.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, Hard length, on middle and leg. Travis Head hops off and bunts it down the strip.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, SIX! Clever batting, this! Carse slams the deck hard, on top of off. Travis Head arches back, uses the pace of the bowler and uppercuts it fine. The ball sails all the way beyond the ropes at deep third for a six. That is a shot of a confident batter.
Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, Brydon Carse is into the attack now. On a back of a length, on off, angling in. Jake Weatherald tucks it wide of square leg and pinches in another single.
- Jake Weatherald 12 (22)
- Travis Head 16 (20)
Jofra Archer to Jake Weatherald, Good, proactive running by the Aussie openers! Full and around off, Jake Weatherald takes a good stride forward and drives into the space between cover and mid off for a single.
Jofra Archer to Jake Weatherald, This one decks back into the batter and zips through the deck. Full and outside off. Jake Weatherald watches it closely before lifting his bat in the air to leave.
Jofra Archer to Jake Weatherald, Attacks the off pole, on a fuller length, Jake Weatherald blocks it from the crease to the off side.
Jofra Archer to Travis Head, Overpitched delivery, full and on off, Travis Head gets on top of the ball and crisply drives it through the extra cover and mid off gap. Gus Atkinson chases it all the way to the ropes from the inner ring and the batters run three.
Jofra Archer to Travis Head, On a back of a length, outside off. Travis Head gets on the back foot and steers it to the left of the point fielder for a couple of runs.
Jofra Archer to Travis Head, Full and straight, on middle, worked to mid on.
- Jake Weatherald 11 (19)
- Travis Head 11 (17)
Gus Atkinson to Jake Weatherald, Full and angling in and around off, Jake Weatherald taps it with soft hands to point.
Gus Atkinson to Jake Weatherald, Back of a length, around off, Jake Weatherald presses in front and blocks it to widish cover.
Gus Atkinson to Jake Weatherald, Shoots up from the deck, outside off, on a length. Left alone by Jake Weatherald.
Gus Atkinson to Travis Head, Very full and on off, Travis Head gets forward and drives it to the left of mid off and collects three more runs.
Gus Atkinson to Jake Weatherald, Fine shot! Short of length and on off, Jake Weatherald steps across, swivels and pulls it away nicely through backward square leg. Ollie Pope chases after and slides well to save one for his team. Three taken.
Gus Atkinson to Jake Weatherald, Fuller in length and on the fifth stump line, Jake Weatherald leaves it alone.
- Jake Weatherald 8 (14)
- Travis Head 8 (16)
Jofra Archer to Jake Weatherald, Short and on middle, Jake Weatherald weighs back and pulls it to deep square leg for a single.
Is that out? Jake Weatherald has been given out on-field for a caught behind appeal. However, he has taken the review right away. Snicko and replay show that the ball has gone off his pads and not the bat. Good review!
Jofra Archer to Jake Weatherald, A good review from Jake Weatherald and that forces the umpire to reverse the on-field decision. A good-length delivery, it is that nip-backer that shoots back into the batter. Jake Weatherald gets on the front foot to block, but plays the initial line and is beaten all ends up. A huge appeal for caught behind and Nitin Menon instantly raises his finger up. And immediately, Jake Weatherald reviews it. There were definitely two sounds, but was that off the thigh pad and not the bat's inside edge? Thought so. Snicko does not detect anything when the ball is next to the inside edge, but a spike does appear when the ball grazes the back thigh. And just to be doubly sure, the third umpire calls for Ball Tracking to check for a potential LBW, but Jake Weatherald is lucky enough as the impact is well outside the off stump. Not Out and the debutant survives.
Jofra Archer to Jake Weatherald, EDGED, FOUR! Streaky, but that will help Jake Weatherald and Australia. Archer goes full and around off. It just nips enough to take the outside edge as Jake Weatherald prods forward to push at it. The ball shoots between gully and second slip before hugging the deep third fence.
Jofra Archer to Travis Head, On a length, nudged through mid-wicket for a single.
Jofra Archer to Jake Weatherald, And he is up and running. First runs for Jake Weatherald in Test cricket, which is received by a huge cheer from the Aussie faithful. On a length, tailing in a bit, Jake Weatherald flicks it through square leg, all along the ground and they hustle back for the third run.
Jofra Archer to Jake Weatherald, In-between length, just outside off. Jake Weatherald shoulders arms.
- Travis Head 7 (15)
- Jake Weatherald 0 (9)
Gus Atkinson to Travis Head, FOUR! Easy pickings for someone like Head! Full and swinging back in wildly on middle. Travis Head flicks off his pads and trickles away to the fence.
Gus Atkinson to Travis Head, Full in length, at 133.1 kph, outside off, Travis Head strides across and eases it to cover-point.
Gus Atkinson to Travis Head, On a hard length, at 136.8 kph, just outside off. Travis Head plays from the crease and taps it to backward point.
Gus Atkinson to Travis Head, On top of off, on a slightly fuller length. Travis Head lets the ball arrive at him and blocks it down the pitch with soft hands.
Gus Atkinson to Travis Head, Nips in from middle, on a length. Travis Head shapes to nudge through square leg, but misses and the ball slams his front thigh pad.
Gus Atkinson to Travis Head, Back of a length from around the stumps, on off. Travis Head climbs over it and cuts it powerfully to pierce the point gap. But Brydon Carse shows good agility as his dives to his right to cut that off.
- Jake Weatherald 0 (9)
- Travis Head 3 (9)
Jofra Archer to Jake Weatherald, Nagging length, scuttling through the deck, outside off. Jake Weatherald leaves off the back foot.
Jofra Archer to Jake Weatherald, Full and outside off, Jake Weatherald offers no shot at it.
Jofra Archer to Jake Weatherald, Big swing, but no run. Skids through the deck, on a good length, on middle and off. Jake Weatherald is rushed into the pull shot and takes a stinging blow around his midriff as the ball rebouds towards the gully fielder.
Jofra Archer to Travis Head, Short of a good length, outside off with extra bounce. Head rides on the lift of the ball and guides it to deep backward point for a single.
Jofra Archer to Travis Head, Pitched short and around off, Travis Head opens the bat face at the point of contact and steers it to point.
Jofra Archer to Travis Head, Slams the deck hard, on middle, Head hops off and bunts it down the pitch.
- Jake Weatherald 0 (6)
- Travis Head 2 (6)
Gus Atkinson to Jake Weatherald, Outside off, on a length, left alone by Weatherald.
Gus Atkinson to Jake Weatherald, Bangs it well short, and outside off. Jake lines up for a square cut by leaning back, but the extra bounce does him in and beats him.
Gus Atkinson to Jake Weatherald, Touch fuller and on middle, straightens a bit. Jake Weatherald opens the face of his bat and steers it towards point.
Gus Atkinson to Jake Weatherald, Short of a length and on off, Jake Weatherald steps across and dabs it towards point.
Gus Atkinson to Jake Weatherald, Back of a length and around off again, Jake Weatherald once again offers no shot a it.
Gus Atkinson to Jake Weatherald, Gus Atkinson begins with a good-length delivery, outside off, holds its line, Jake Weatherald watches it through and leaves it alone.
Gus Atkinson to share the attack from the other end.
- Travis Head 2 (6)
- Jake Weatherald 0 (0)
Jofra Archer to Travis Head, Australia get underway in the chase! Fullish delivery but on the pads, Travis Head clips it away through backward square leg for a couple of runs.
Jofra Archer to Travis Head, Jofra Archer bangs this one into the pitch around off, shaping it away from the batter. Travis Head lifts his hands up and lets it go to the keeper.
Jofra Archer to Travis Head, Pitched up and on off, Travis Head stays deep inside his crease and keeps it out to the off side.
Jofra Archer to Travis Head, Loose delivery! Back of a length but down the leg side, Travis Head makes an easy leave.
Jofra Archer to Travis Head, BEATEN! Touch fuller and on off, gets it to shape away. Travis Head stays back and pushes at it with hard hands but gets beaten on the outside edge.
Jofra Archer to Travis Head, Jofra Archer starts with a good-length delivery, on leg, Travis Head lets it go. It moves away after going behind the stumps, and Jamie Smith adjusts well to collect it.
Set 205 to win, Head produced one of the quickest Ashes tons in recent memory, reaching three figures in 69 balls before closing on 123, an innings that turned the chase into a procession. Marnus Labuschagne remained unbeaten on 51 as Australia took a 1–0 lead in the five-match series.
England’s collapse earlier in the day shaped the result. Resuming with a 40-run advantage, they appeared settled at 65 for 1, but Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc ripped through the middle order in a span of four overs. Boland removed Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook in 11 balls, while Starc accounted for Joe Root and Ben Stokes, completing a ten-wicket match haul after his 7-58 on day one.
A fighting stand between Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse briefly steadied England before they were bowled out for 164 at tea. Stokes admitted his side had been “a little bit shell-shocked,” conceding that Head’s innings was “phenomenal.”
Promoted to open as Usman Khawaja battled back stiffness, Head dominated from the outset, striking cleanly on a surface that had tested others throughout the match. His assault left England with no chance of pulling the match back as Australia wrapped up the chase with ease.the opening day set the tone for a gripping four-day contest, blending high skill, raw pace, and historic moments in a truly chaotic start to the series.
Match Statistics
Venue
Perth Stadium, Perth
