"Out of this world": Steve Smith hails Travis Head's match-winning innings

Perth [Australia], November 22 (ANI): Australian skipper Steve Smith praised Travis Head's match-winning hundred against England in the first Ashes Test, calling it "out of this world" and said it was a day where "everything went his way".

Smith revealed that the decision to promote Head to open was made around tea on Day 2, with Head expressing his desire to do so. Smith credited Head for making the most of the opportunity to secure Australia's thumping eight-wicket win over England in the Ashes opener.

Head smashed the second-fastest century in Ashes history, reaching 100 in just 69 balls on Day 2 of the first Test against England in Perth on Saturday. Head lit up the Optus Stadium with his explosive ton while pacer Mitchell Starc's ten-wicket haul was another standout for Australia.

This is the first Ashes Test ending inside two days in the last 100 years.

"Good start. We love being on the right side of that. But today was just incredible. That innings from Travis Head was out of this world. He played some outrageous shots, and even when he mistimed a few, they still seemed to find the gap. It was just one of those days where everything went his way, and he made the absolute most of it to get us home. (When did they decide to open with Head?) Probably around tea, when we came off. We'd spoken about it, we didn't love how things went in the first innings, and Trav just said, 'I want to do it.' So I told him, mate, go for your life," Steve Smith said after the match.

Australia restricted England to 164 in the third innings, thanks to Scott Boland's four-wicket haul and three wickets each from Brendan Doggett and Mitchell Starc. This set a target of 205 for the hosts.

Smith also lauded Marnus Labuschagne, who made a crucial 51 off 49 balls in the fourth innings to chase England's 205 in just 28.2 overs.

"My gosh, it's right up there with anything I've ever seen from anyone. Fourth innings, chasing 200, and the surface was probably at its toughest for batters by then. He played beautifully early on, got himself in, and when they went to the short-ball plan, he handled it exactly how he wanted. He was almost toying with them. And I thought Marnus was brilliant at the other end too, took the game on, kept things moving. Those two worked superbly together. Great to get the win," Smith added. (ANI)

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