Travis Head bolsters his Ashes case with 163 for South Australia
Jake Carder made his maiden first-class century against his old side Western Australia in a tight high-scoring affair in Adelaide
AAP
26-Sep-2021
Travis Head made 160 in his first Shield innings of the season • Getty Images
Western Australia 9 for 465 dec & 1 for 76 (Whiteman 35*) lead South Australia 492 (Head 163, Carder 118, McAndrew 65*) by 49 runs
Travis Head improved his chances of a Test recall with a classy 163 in a high-scoring Sheffield Shield match in Adelaide.
Head's impressive 215-ball knock, which included 18 fours and three sixes, helped South Australia to a 27-run first innings lead against Western Australia at Karen Rolton Oval.
A last-wicket stand of 74 either side of tea between Nathan McAndrew (65 not out) and Lloyd Pope (12), the highest first-class score for both men, lifted SA to 492.
By stumps on day three, WA were 1 for 76 - a lead of 49, with little likelihood of an outright result given only 20 wickets have fallen on a flat pitch. Cameron Bancroft (27) was caught behind off spinner Pope, but Sam Whiteman and captain Shaun Marsh batted out the remainder of the day.
SA captain Head added 231 for the third wicket with fellow lefthander and former WA player Jake Carder (118 off 237), whose maiden first-class century included 15 fours.
SA were 3 for 372 following a brisk fourth-wicket stand of 73 off 13 overs between Head and Alex Carey, but then collapsed.
The last pair stayed together for 17 overs and though it took Pope 32 balls to get off the mark, he contributed to a SA record 10th-wicket partnership against WA.
McAndrew, who took three wickets in the WA first innings, hit seven fours and two sixes to continue his good form in his initial first-class appearance for SA.
The wicket of Pope was a reward for WA spinner and debutant Corey Rocchiccioli, who took 1-145 off 39 overs. Pacemen Joel Paris (3-73 off 26 overs) and Lance Morris (3-91 off 21) were the main wicket-takers for WA.