Hobart, Australia, Jan 14 (AFP\/APP):Travis Head scored a magnificent century to put Australia in command on the first day of the fifth and final Ashes Test against England in Hobart on Friday.<\/p>\n
At tea, Australia were 215-5, with Cameron Green on 57 and Alex Carey one.
\nHead came to the crease with Australia reeling at 12-3, but counter-attacked brilliantly to reach his fourth Test century in just 112 balls, with 12 boundaries.<\/p>\n
However, one ball after reaching his century in the day-night match, he chipped Chris Woakes to mid-off, where Ollie Robinson — who bowled only one over in the twilight session due to back soreness — took a simple catch.<\/p>\n
Head’s 101 was a superb response to a much-changed England’s complete dominance in the first 10 overs.<\/p>\n
England captain Joe Root won the toss and sent the hosts in to bat in overcast conditions and on a real green-top of a wicket.<\/p>\n
England, who have already lost the series, had Australia on the ropes at 12-3 after 10 overs, with Stuart Broad and Robinson almost unplayable in perfect bowling conditions.<\/p>\n
They removed David Warner and Steve Smith for ducks and Usman Khawaja for six, and should have had Marnus Labuschagne for no score.<\/p>\n
However, the game swung back towards Australia when Head and Labuschagne launched a revival, attacking change bowlers Mark Wood and Woakes.<\/p>\n
Wood has bowled well all series but his extra pace negated the conditions and Labuschagne and Head went on the attack.<\/p>\n
Wood’s first three overs went for 31, while at the other end; Woakes also took some punishment, his first five overs costing 23 runs.<\/p>\n
Root was forced to bring broad back into the attack and in the second-last over before the first break he struck in an almost comical manner.<\/p>\n
Labuschagne, on 44, stepped across to the offside to try and play Broad through the onside, but was clean-bowled when he overbalanced attempting the shot, the Australian finishing sprawled on the ground as the ball crashed into his stumps.<\/p>\n
Robinson and Broad must have felt like they were playing on an English ground as the ball nipped around off the seam and moved in the air.<\/p>\n
Robinson, who was recalled to the side after missing the Sydney Test — one of five changes for England — struck first when he drew an edge from Warner, the ball flying to Zak Crawley at second slip.<\/p>\n
Broad then claimed the wicket of Khawaja, caught by Root at first slip, bringing Smith to the crease.<\/p>\n
But Smith, so often England’s tormentor, lasted just two balls before edging to Crawley and giving Robinson his second wicket.<\/p>\n
Head and Green looked like batting through the second session until the former lost concentration after bringing up his century.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hobart, Australia, Jan 14 (AFP\/APP):Travis Head scored a magnificent century to put Australia in command on the first day of the fifth and final Ashes Test against England in Hobart on Friday. At tea, Australia were 215-5, with Cameron Green on 57 and Alex Carey […]<\/p>\n
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