Head feared riling England's quicks during Perth onslaught
Emergency opener climbed onto the offensive against one of the fastest attacks in England's history
ESPNcricinfo staff
27-Nov-2025 • 6 hrs ago
Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne embrace after Head's thrilling 69-ball hundred • Getty Images
Travis Head has admitted that his main concern, while blazing Australia to victory in the first Ashes Test at Perth, was the fear of retribution after climbing into England's fast bowlers with an astonishing innings of 123 from 83 balls.
Head's onslaught as an emergency opener sealed Australia's eight-wicket victory inside two days, and included 16 fours and four sixes as he rushed along to a century in 69 balls, the second-fastest in Ashes history behind Adam Gilchrist's 57-ball effort at the WACA in 2006-07.
It turned the contest on its head after England's pace attack, featuring four bowlers capable of speeds in excess of 90mph/145kph, had bowled Australia out for 132 inside 46 overs of their first innings.
"I'm very realistic that they had two blokes bowling 150 clicks," Head told Australian radio station Triple M, referencing England's quickest pairing of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, who were playing a Test together for the first time since 2020.
"I accidentally hit Jofra back over his head for six at one point and calmly walked back and marked centre and was like, 'Oh my God, why did I just do that?'
"Marnus [Labuschagne] came down and was like, 'I know you're trying to act cool, but that's unbelievable'. And he's yelling and screaming, and he's hoo-hah-ing.
"And I'm like, 'Mate, get back to the other end, at any moment they can put a hole through me, they bowl 150 clicks'."
Head added that he had also received a congratulatory text from Gilchrist after his innings. His reply was succinct: "How the hell did you do it quicker?"
Elsewhere in the Australian media, former captain Kim Hughes acknowledged that England had fielded the fastest quartet in the country since he faced West Indies in their pomp in 1984-85. However, he questioned their decision to sit out this week's warm-up game in Canberra after a dropping-off of speeds in that second innings.
"The difference on the second day was like chalk and cheese," Hughes told the West Australian. "They just weren't match fit."