Travis Head hits sublime century as Australia thrash 'shell-shocked' England in first Ashes Test

Stand-in opener cracks 69-ball ton to help seal eight-wicket win after tourists' batting line-up collapses in spectacular fashion once again

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  Australia's Travis Head raises his bat as he walks off the field after being dismissed for 123 on day two of the first test of the NRMA Insurance Ashes Series 2025 at the Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia. Picture date: Saturday November 22, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Robbie Stephenson/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.

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  Australia captain Steve Smith, right, and Travis Head celebrate after winning the first Ashes Test. AP

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  Australia batter Travis Head's123 came off just 83 balls, containing 16 fours and four sixes. Reuters

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  Austrailia fast-bowler Mitchell Starc, right, was man of the match after finishing with figures of 10-133. Getty Images

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  England batter Joe Root is clean bowled by Australia’s Mitchell Starc for eight. AFP

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  Left to right: Australia bowlers, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc celebrate after bowing out England for 164. AFP

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  Frustrated England after Harry Brook after being out for a duck. Getty Images

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  Australia bowler Scott Boland, centre, finished with figures of 4-33 in England's second innings. Getty Images

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  Australia batters Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne walk off the pitch after their team's victory. AFP

Stand-in Australian opener Travis Head smashed a sensational century as the home side thrashed hapless England by eight wickets in a chaotic and thrilling opening Ashes Test.

Head, who was only opening the innings due to an injury to Usman Khawaja, put England bowlers to the sword after the tourists' batting line-up collapsed from 65-1 to 164 all out in their second innings on Day 2 in Perth.

It left Australia chasing what looked like a tricky total of 205 considering they had been skittled out for just 132 in their first innings in the face of England's ferocious pace-bowling attack.

But despite losing debutant Jake Weatherald for 23, Head would make a mockery of the bowling threat by clubbing the joint-third fastest hundred for Australia in Tests and the second fastest Ashes hundred.

Only Adam Gilchrist (59 balls also in Perth in 2006) has hit a quicker Ashes ton than Head's 69-ball effort.

Gilchrist and Jack Gregory (off 67 balls in 1921 in Johannesburg) are the only two players have made quicker centuries in red-ball cricket for the Baggy Greens, with David Warner also achieving the feat it in 69 balls (in Perth against India in 2012).

Head would eventually fall for 123 by then his team needed just 13 to win, leaving Marnus Labuschagne (51) and Steve Smith (two) to guide Australia over the line.

“[It was a] good start [to the series], they're a seriously good outfit, and we couldn't let [Mitchell] Starc-y getting 7-58 [in England's first innings slip,” said Head, who was warmly congratulated by England players after losing his wicket.

“First game of the series to set the tone. I feel sorry for the 60,000 who were due to come here tomorrow.

“They've got serous fast bowling. I just tried to hit down the breeze. I knew I was going to get tested in all departments, when I got 50-60 I could feel the momentum.

“I got 99 here a few years ago, I've wasted a couple. It was a pretty food wicket, day two, nice not having to bat day four or five.

“We're 1-0 up, we're going to Brisbane, if that's anything to go by it's going to be a hell of a series.”

As for England, captain Ben Stokes admitted to being left stunned by what had just happened at the Optus Stadium. “I'm shell-shocked a little bit, wide-eyed after that to see what unfolded, particularly after the first day,” said the all-rounder who took 5-23 in the first innings but saw his wicketless two overs in the second battered for 18 runs.

“Our third innings with the bat then to see what Head did with the bat. It's hard to settle in with plans when you look up and the runs are coming down quickly.”

“We were very confident having a 200 run lead for Australia to chase. The way that the wicket was playing was tough. There was a lot in it for the bowlers.

“Looking back on it, if you're the one out the with the opportunity in the middle, you've got to make sure the mentality that you've never had enough. The ones that had success were the ones who were brave enough to face the ball.”

Earlier, Australia had been bowled out for just 132 in the morning with Brydon Carse taking the final scalp but England's problems began almost immediately as Zak Crawley was dismissed for his second duck of the match.

On both occasions he has failed to see out the first over from Starc and looks in a bad place.

Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope restored calm in a stand of 65 as the lead ticked past three figures but Scott Boland (who finished with 4-33) had Duckett caught behind for 28 to kick-start the chaos.

A catastrophic sequence followed as Pope (33), Harry Brook (nought) and Joe Root (eight) were dismissed in the space of six deliveries without a run added to the total.

Starc accounted for Crawley, Root and Stokes (two) to seal his 10-wicket haul with Brendan Doggett also taking three wickets in the second innings.

There was some controversy with Jamie Smith's wicket after given caught behind off Doggett, with a painfully long DRS review going with the bowler.

From 104 for seven, England piled on a lively 50 partnership as Gus Atkinson and Carse took on a ring of boundary fielders, sharing three fours and four sixes.

But their luck ran out as the home side quelled the counter-attack just before the tea break.

Khawaja's back problems prompted a creative rethink with Head moving up the order which would turn the match in Australia's favour.

“You see Travis take the game on like that an come up trumps, that was something to watch,” said player of the match Starc. “That was something else. You cannot go home and not be happy with the entertainment.

“It was a helter skelter two days for both sides, and there was a lot made about both sides before the series. We knew if we stick to our guns and do what we do well as a group we would be OK.”