Tag: Travis Head

Australia opener Travis Head made a late entry into the ICC World Cup 2023 after recovering from a fractured hand but on Tuesday said the injury was a “blessing in disguise”.

Five-time winners Australia take on South Africa in the second semi-final in Kolkata on Thursday where Head will renew his rivalry with fast bowler Gerald Coetzee, whose ball caused the damage.

A Coetzee rising delivery struck Head on the left arm in the third one-day international of Australia’s tour of South Africa in September and scans revealed a fracture.

Head was in danger of missing the World Cup but Australia kept him in the squad until he was fit to play in the team’s sixth league match where he hit a match-winning century against New Zealand.

Reminded about facing Coetzee, who has claimed 18 wickets in seven matches at the tournament, Head said injuries are part and parcel of sport.

“I said to Gerald at the time I’m sure he didn’t mean to hit me in the hand. It was probably aimed a little bit higher than that,” Head, a left-hand batsman, joked.

“But that’s all part of the game. So I take a relaxed approach to all that sort of stuff whether it’s performance or injuries.”

He said: “He did me a favour, I got four weeks at home with the family, so I got refreshed to come back. And hopefully, I can be refreshed and energised and can perform at the back end of the tournament. It might be a blessing in disguise.”

Head smashed a 67-ball 109 in the must-win match against New Zealand but misfired in the next three with scores of 11, 0 and 10.

Travis Head, 29, said his style is not an all-out attack. He is just as content playing the waiting game as well.

“I feel like I try and give myself the best chance to score off balls that I feel like I can and respect the ones in between,” he said.

“I think you have to do that. It’s international cricket, so I don’t think it’s all guns blazing every time.

“So it’s a balancing act. I feel like I’m in a good mindset to give myself the best chance to be as positive as I can be.”

Australia won seven straight matches in the league stage of the ICC World Cup 2023 and remain two wins away from their sixth title.

“I’m sure everyone has thought about that,” Head said. “It hasn’t really been spoken about as a group, but we know what’s at the end of this tournament and what’s up for grabs.”

Travis Head has featured in 62 ODIs for Australia since his debut in 2016 and scored 2,194 runs.

READ: Virender Sehwag, Aravinda de Silva, Diana Edulji go into ICC Hall of Fame

Australia’s Mitchell Marsh on Tuesday said he will be “comfortable” to bat at number three if opener Travis Head returns to the team for their ICC World Cup 2023 clash against the Netherlands.

Mitchell Marsh comes into Wednesday’s ICC World Cup 2023 game in New Delhi fresh from his 121 in a 259-run opening partnership with David Warner against Pakistan last week.

The in-form Marsh has opened the batting in Australia’s four matches in the tournament so far, contributing with a fifty and ton in the previous two victories.

The five-time champions lost their opening two matches.

Head, who broke his hand at Centurion in South Africa last month, has rejoined the team after rehabilitation in Adelaide and had a hit at the nets at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.

“I think that decision (of having Travis Head in the XI) will be made this afternoon/tonight,” Marsh told reporters on the eve of the clash with the giant-killing Dutch.

“He looked good, a bit of range hitting last night. He says the hand feels good. So, I’m sure if he’s fit, he’ll be available for selection in the team.”

On slipping down the batting order, Marsh said, “Yeah, I mentioned to David Warner, that maybe he can bat three, but I got a firm no from him, so that’s being sarcastic there guys!

“But yeah, very happy to go back down to three. I’ve obviously batted there a lot over the last couple of years, so I feel really comfortable at three. And if and when Head comes back in, I think that’s the best position for me to play for this team.”

The Netherlands stunned high-flying South Africa last week but lost to Sri Lanka in their next outing at the ICC World Cup 2023.

Afghanistan’s shock win over Pakistan in Chennai on Monday came after they had stunned defending champions England in New Delhi.

Mitchell Marsh said the level of competitiveness has brought the tournament alive.

“Teams have got better. I think that’s great for world cricket, certainly in tournaments like this that can sometimes be pretty long,” said Marsh.

“We respect the Netherlands; they’re playing some good cricket and that will be a tough challenge.”

Australia began the tournament with a loss to India and then went down to South Africa before they bounced back to be placed fourth in the 10-team table led by the hosts.

“We’re not in unfamiliar territory. We had a slow start and we were put under pressure at times, but the vibe is great,” said Mitchell Marsh.

“We’ve played really good cricket the last two games and hopefully that’s the case tomorrow. So, there’s a big carrot dangling for us in a couple of weeks’ time.”

READ: La Liga: Teen striker Guiu snatches Barcelona win over Athletic Bilbao

Travis Head is all set to join the Australia squad at the ICC World Cup 2023 as the batter returned to the nets for the first time since he suffered a fractured hand in South Africa.

The left-handed batter, who was named in the 15-member World Cup squad despite copping a fracture to his left hand during the South Africa series, has recovered faster than expected.

Travis Head had the protective splint removed from his hand late last week and since then has been active in the nets.

According to reports, Head has faced more throw downs in the practice nets and will fly out to India this Thursday.

He’ll be unavailable still for the clash against Pakistan, Australia’s fourth game of the tournament, in Bengaluru, but could potentially return for the Netherlands game in Delhi on October 25.

“It’s coming along well, and probably better than we hoped,” Travis Head said in an interview with cricket.com.au.

“When we decided not to go with surgery, which would have meant a 10-week recovery, we were told it would be minimum six weeks with the splint before we could look at playing again,” he said.

He added, “Going by that plan, the Netherlands game will be just under six weeks from impact which is a pretty aggressive date so everything would have to go perfectly from here to make that deadline”.

“But we’ll just see how it progresses over the next few days and I’m excited by the prospect of joining the boys over there later in the week,” the batter concluded.

Any of the Australian batters are yet to score a half-century in the tournament and have been bowled out for 199 and 177 in their two games.

Travis Head’s return will be timely for the Australia, who are on a four-match losing streak, two of them coming in this year’s edition, at the World Cup 2023.

With two losses in two games and Mitchell Marsh making scores of 0 and 7 from Head’s position at the top, the Aussies will be glad to have the left-hander back partnering David Warner.

Travis Head’s ODI record at the top of the order is mind-blowing with him averaging over 50 and scoring at a rate of 112.35 as opener in the format.

READ: Gurbaz, Ikram power Afghanistan to 284 against holders England

South Africa’s spin bowlers backed up a century by Aiden Markram as the hosts ended Australia’s winning streak with a 111-run victory in the third one-day international at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Tuesday.

Markram hit 102 not out in a South African total of 338 for six.

South Africa survived a furious assault by David Warner and Travis Head before bowling out Australia for 227.

Australia won the first two games in the five-match series after sweeping a Twenty20 series 3-0.

The tourists looked on track for another win when Warner and Head thrashed 79 for the first wicket off only 48 balls.

Australia were 104 for one at the end of the 10-over power play, the second time in a row they reached three figures while fielding restrictions were in place.

But left-arm spinners Tabraiz Shamsi (two for 29) and Keshav Maharaj (two for 37) changed the course of the match on a spin-friendly pitch before fast bowler Gerald Coetzee (four for 50) finished off the Australian innings.

Maharaj also made a key intervention in the field with a direct-hit run-out of Warner, who made 78 off 56 balls before slipping and losing his shoe as he set off for a single.

“We needed a positive one,” said South African captain Temba Bavuma.

“The batters knuckled down and we were banking on the wicket assisting the spin bowlers and it’s exactly what it did.

“The power play didn’t go as well as we wanted but the way we clawed it back was exactly what we’re looking for.”

Australian captain Mitchell Marsh said the loss was “a little slip-up” in conditions which are likely to be replicated during the World Cup in India next month.

“Hopefully we learnt a lot from it,” he said.

Quinton de Kock (82) and captain Temba Bavuma (57) gave South Africa an ideal start with an opening stand of 146 in 22.5 overs.

But Australia were able to slow down the scoring, with part-time off-spinner Travis Head making good use of a slow, dry pitch to bowl unchanged and take two for 39 in 10 overs.

Aiden Markram and Marco Jansen gave the innings late impetus with a sixth-wicket partnership of 63 off 31 balls which was ended by a sensational diving left-handed catch by Sean Abbott on the cover boundary off Nathan Ellis.

READ: India edge Sri Lanka to reach Asia Cup final as Pakistan still in race

GALLE: Nathan Lyon and Travis Head wreaked havoc on the Sri Lankan batting line to wrap up the rain-hit first Test within the three days as Australia crushed the hosts by 10 wickets, here on Friday.

Sri Lanka showcased a dismal batting performance in the second inning after trailing by a deficit of 109 runs. The hosts hardly managed to avoid an innings defeat, amid the complete collapse of the batting order.

Australian bowlers completely dismantled the Sri Lankan batting as the team was bowled out on 113 with the last six wickets falling in quick succession and added just 18 runs to the total. Only four Sri Lankan batters managed to step into double figures with skipper Dimuth Karunaratne topping the scorecard with 23 runs.

Lyon and Head starred with the bowl to force this Sri Lankan collapse by bagging four wickets each. Meanwhile leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson also grabbed two wickets.

After being put to bat the second time for chasing a meager target of 5 runs, the tourists utilized only four balls with Usman Khuwaja hitting a six and a four to culminate the Australian dominance in style.

Earlier, Australia started the processing of Day 3 by resuming their first inning with an overnight score of 313/8 and managed to add only 8 runs before being bowled out on 321. Left-handed opener Usman Khawaja and all-rounder Cameron Green scored half-centuries on the rain-hit second day to tighten the grip of their side on the first Test.

Australia have now secured a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka with the second Test scheduled from July 8 to 12 at the same venue.

READ: India announces squads for T20I and ODI series against England

COLOMBO: Australian Cricket Team faced one more blow as wicket-keeper batter Travis Head pull off a hamstring injury and was subsequently ruled out of the dead rubber fifth ODI against Sri Lanka.

Cricket Australia (CA)  has confirmed on its website that a third member of the Aussies Test squad, Head, has also been injured ahead of the Test series against Sri Lanka after Mitchell Starc and Steve Simth had earlier sustained injuries during the ongoing tour.

Head, who has sustained a strain on a minor end during the fourth ODI match, will be rested in the final ODI whereas his participation in the first Test, scheduled next week is also under doubt.

“I’m not sure what he’ll be like for the Tests but he’s definitely not available for tomorrow,” said captain Arron Finch as reported by cricket.com.au.

As Head’s replacement, Josh Inglis might be set to make his ODI debut, or Australia might decide to alter the composition of their playing XI and deploy an additional bowler for the final ODI.

Meanwhile, Steven Smith, who has been dealing with a quad strain, is unlikely to be risked before the Tests while Mitchell Starc, who sustained stitching after cutting his finger on the spike of his boot in the first T20I, has still not recovered completely.

During the ongoing tour of Sri Lanka, Australia have witnessed a hefty number of injured players. Before the matches began, Sean Abbott was ruled out, followed by Marsh, Kane Richardson, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, Starc, and Smith.

Head’s injury could also allow one of the Australia A squad members, who are currently in Hambantota for a final four-dayer against Sri Lanka A, to continue as a backup for the Tests, with Marcus Harris, Matthew Renshaw, and Nic Maddinson being the top contenders.

Meanwhile, it might also leave room for white-ball star Glenn Maxwell to make a Test return after three years.

It is pertinent to mention here that Australia have already lost the five-match ODI series 3-1 against Sri Lanka after winning T20I series 2-1. Both the teams are now set to lock horns in two-match Test series with the first Test scheduled from June 29 to July 3.

READ: Ramiz chairs as the 69th PCB BoG meeting gets underway at NHPC today

MELBOURNE: Australia’s left-handed middle-order batter, Travis Head, tested positive for the COVID-19, Cricket Australia (CA) reported.

During a routine PCR test, the batter returned positive for the widely spread virus; following his contraction, the batter has ruled out from the fourth Ashes Test.

The batter will isolate for seven days along with his partner in Melbourne. He will not travel with the remaining squad to Sydney.

CA has called three concussion replacements, Mitch Marsh, Nic Maddinson, and Josh Inglis found their way into the Australian squad for the Ashes remainder.

Head is currently the leading run-scorer for the Kangaroos in the ongoing series. He scored 248 runs at an average of 62.

READ: COVID-19 halts Scorchers-Stars clash in BBL