Latest news with #TravisHead
News18
an hour ago
- Sport
- News18
Travis Head Creates History, Becomes 1st Cricketer In The World To...
Last Updated: Head scored twin half-centuries (59 and 61) for Australia in the first Test against the West Indies and won the Player of the Match award. Travis Head was on fire for Australia with the bat in the first Test against the West Indies, which was played from June 25 to 27 at Kensington Oval in Barbados. He scored 59 runs from 78 balls with the help of nine fours in the first innings on Wednesday (June 25) and amassed a total of 61 runs from 95 balls in the second. For his twin half-centuries in the series opener, which the Aussies won by 159 runs inside three days, Head won the Player of the Match award. The POTM award on Friday (June 27) helped Head enter his name in the history books as he became the first player in the world to bag 10 POTM awards in WTC. Head has played 50 WTC matches so far for Australia and has scored 3196 runs. Head won his first POTM award in WTC during the Australia-New Zealand Test played at Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26 to 29 in 2019. In that match, the left-handed batter from South Africa scored 114 runs in the first innings and 28 in the second. His 2nd POTM award was against England in the first Test of the 2021-22 Ashes series, which was played at The Gabba in Brisbane. He scored 152 runs from 148 balls in the first innings to help Pat Cummins's led side secure a win by 9 wickets. In the fifth Test, Head scored a century (101) in Hobart and won his third POTM award. Head then scored 175 and 38 (not out) runs in the Day-Night Test played against the West Indies at Adelaide Oval from December 8 to 11 in 2022 to win the POTM award and bagged the same honour in the next Test played against South Africa as well in Brisbane for scoring 92 runs. In the WTC 2023 final played against India at The Oval, Head scored 159 runs in the first innings for Pat Cummins & Co., and it helped him win his sixth POTM award in WTC. His next three POTM awards in WTC were against West Indies in January 2024 (Adelaide), India in December 2014 (Adelaide), and India in December 2014 (Brisbane). In the list of players with the most POTM awards in WTC, Head is followed by Ben Stokes and Joe Root of England. Both the legendary English cricketers have won 5 POTM awards each in the WTC for the English team. Only a total of six players—Shane Warne (17), Ricky Ponting (16), Steve Waugh (14), Steve Smith (13), Glenn McGrath (11), and Allan Border (11)—have won more POTM awards in Tests for the Baggy Greens than Head. Get latest Cricket news, live score and match results on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Barbados First Published: June 28, 2025, 16:06 IST
Times of Oman
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Times of Oman
Cummins picks Australia's "special" player after wrapping up "great" Test against WI with victory
Bridgetown: Australia captain Pat Cummins was all in praise of "special" Josh Hazlewood, who ripped through the West Indies batting unit in what turned out to be a "great" Test, ending with the Baggy Greens cruising to a 159-run triumph with consummate ease at Kensington Oval. After getting off to a dodgy start in the first innings, Australia managed to get into a position to challenge the West Indies in the battle for authority. But the tourists eventually gained control, thanks to their experience and winning pedigree. After Travis Head (61), Beau Webster (63) and Alex Carey (65) fuelled Australia's second innings to 310, Hazelwood took the onus of enthralling the fans by orchestrating a classic pace onslaught. With his textbook line and lengths, Hazlwood rattled the Caribbean stars to make quick work of their batting order and forced the hosts to pack on 141 in 33.4 overs. The seasoned quick returned with sizzling figures of 5/43 in the second innings to ensure Australia successfully defended the 301-run target. "He's special (on Josh Hazlewood), if there's anything in the pitch, he has a good presentation of the seam, bowls the perfect lengths and keeps impressing. He's come off runs in the Sheffield Shield (on Beau Webster), he's got runs in different conditions and keeps keeping the scoreboard ticking," Cummins said after the match. The West Indies managed to escape with a slender 10-run lead after bundling out Australia on 180 and piling up 190 on the board in the first innings. However, Australia's resilient middle-order responded boldly and ran away with the game in the second innings to turn the contest into a seemingly one-sided affair. However, for Cummins, the majority of the Test was an "even fight" between both sides. "I think it was a great Test, thought it would be a tight day coming into the game today, we played well though. But for most of the Test, it was an even fight. I thought we could get to 200, but the way the boys batted. Carey out there, I thought we had enough," he added. Australia will have five days of rest before embarking on their next assignment, the second Test, against the West Indies, which begins on July 3. Cummins laid out their plans for the short period and said, "We'll have a couple of days off, a short turnaround for the next game, we'll fly down over there in a couple of days, have a look at the conditions and plan for the next game."
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
WI vs AUS: Travis Head creates World Test Championship record, becomes first player to ...
Australia's Travis Head (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan) Travis Head made history by becoming the first player to win 10 Man of the Match awards in the World Test Championship after his twin fifties helped Australia defeat West Indies by 159 runs in the first Test of their three-match series. Head scored 59 in the first innings and 61 in the second innings on a challenging pitch where both teams struggled to score runs. Australia were bowled out for 180 in their first innings before restricting West Indies to 190. The hosts then posted 310 in their second innings before dismissing West Indies for 141 to secure the victory and take a 1-0 lead in the series. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Head's crucial knocks came at critical junctures for Australia. His first innings half-century helped Australia reach a fighting total, while his second innings contribution helped the team recover from a precarious position of 61-4. The Australian middle order provided vital support after Head's dismissal. Beau Webster scored 63 and Alex Carey made 65 to help Australia build a match-winning lead. India Sweat it out at the Nets in Birmingham Ahead of the 2nd Test vs England Head's achievement of 10 Man of the Match awards in the World Test Championship puts him well ahead of his closest competitors. Ben Stokes and Joe Root have won five awards each, while Harry Brook has four to his name. The left-handed batter has been a consistent performer in the World Test Championship. He is Australia's fourth-highest run-scorer in the competition with 3199 runs in 50 games, including eight centuries and 15 fifties, behind Steve Smith , Marnus Labuschagne, and Usman Khawaja. Head also reached another milestone by becoming the fourth batter to hit 400 fours in the World Test Championship. He achieved this feat in 83 innings, joining an elite group including Joe Root (576 fours in 119 innings), Marnus Labuschagne (476 fours in 96 innings), and Steve Smith (443 fours in 91 innings). Quiz: Who's that IPL player? "I would have liked to score a bit more, missed out on a few runs. The communication was important, the conditions were tricky and we did exceptionally well to get to 300 on that surface. I was more positive on Day 1 when the game was up for the taking, last night I was desperate to end the day unbeaten, momentum was the key over here, we wanted to build a partnership, we were slow, but it worked out well (on his stand with Beau Webster)," Head said at the post-match presentation. Head praised his batting partner Webster's contribution: "He has played a great deal of FC cricket, has got experience in all conditions and situations. You tend to do well then and he took the responsibility." The Australian batter expressed his disappointment about his performance in the World Test Championship final but was pleased to contribute to the team's victory against West Indies. "I try to contribute every time I go out there, was disappointed at not making runs at Lords (in the WTC final) despite my good form, was nice to get runs and contribute to the team victory here," Head added. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
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First Post
9 hours ago
- Sport
- First Post
'Aussies are miles ahead': Australia lauded after crushing win against West Indies in 1st Test
Australia thrashed West Indies by 159 runs in the 1st Test at Kensington Oval, with Travis Head, Alex Carey, and Josh Hazlewood starring in a dominant comeback. Fans praised Australia's fighting spirit as they kicked off their WTC campaign in style. read more Australia handed West Indies a big defeat in the first Test at Kensington Oval , winning by 159 runs and going 1-0 up in the three-match series. The match ended on Day 3 itself, after West Indies were bowled out for just 141 in their second innings while chasing a tough target of 301. West Indies fans were hopeful after their team took a small 10-run lead in the first innings thanks to Jayden Seales' five-wicket haul and Shamar Joseph's four-fer. But things went downhill fast after Australia's middle order fired in the second innings. Travis Head (61), Beau Webster (63), and Alex Carey (65) all scored quick runs to take Australia to 310 and set a huge target of 301. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Australia's bowlers then completely dominated the proceedings. Josh Hazlewood was the star with the ball, picking up 5 wickets for 43 runs. Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lyon gave him good support. West Indies were reduced to 86 for 8 at one point, and the only fight came from Justin Greaves (38 not out) and Shamar Joseph (44). Also Read: 'Pure talent' Jofra Archer backed to make instant impact against India at Edgbaston despite long absence from Tests Fans laud mighty Australians After the match, fans took to social media to laud the Australian team for their impressive performance despite being behind most of the time. Many highlighted how the team always manages to make a comeback even from difficult situations. West Indies tried their best to compete with Australia but the Aussies always have someone or the other playing clutch knocks and rescuing the team 💀 — Dinda Academy (@academy_dinda) June 27, 2025 Aussies are miles ahead. True champion when they are out in the middle of 22 yards . My only worry is what will happen once the current bowling unit retires in phases. I think Boland will also retire without playing much since age is against him. — Srikanth Natarajan (@SrikanthNatara2) June 28, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD the only surprise here is that the Windies brought the game to day 3 — Berdz 🇯🇲 (@kingberdz) June 28, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also Read: Vaibhav Suryavanshi carries his red-hot IPL form to England, smashes 48 off 19 while wearing iconic No 18 jersey Australia recently failed to defend their World Test Championship title against South Africa at Lord's. However, they made a brilliant start to the new cycle of the WTC with a massive win. Meanwhile, the second Test will be played in Grenada, starting 3 July.
ABC News
13 hours ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Australia's first Test win came down to skill — theirs held up, the West Indies' didn't
For a match that appeared evenly poised at the end of day two, Australia's crushing 153-run Test victory over the West Indies was remarkable in its scale. Mid-way through day two of the first Test in Barbados, the hosts held a 10-run first innings lead. Australia had been bowled out for just 180 on the first day having won the toss and batted. In the second innings, the visitors were 4-65 after another woeful top order batting display. A thrilling Test match was assured, wasn't it? Alas, Test match cricket does nothing if not exploit and expose the inadequacies between the very best and the rest — and Josh Hazlewood is very much among the best. The 34-year-old was absolutely unplayable on a wearing, minefield of a pitch. His five-over second spell was almost mythical, a fitting addition to the tapestry that is the Kensington Oval, one of the world's most storied Test grounds. But the game was in the balance — a couple of quick wickets and Australia would have been defending a far more modest score than the 301 runs they managed to accrue. The hardest thing for the West Indies to accept may well be that the chance to take that early wicket presented itself in the fourth over of the day. Travis Head, on 21, gifted an edge to second slip off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph. Justin Greaves at second slip did what too many of his teammates had done throughout the Test. He dropped it cold. The West Indies were, unfortunately, found lacking in the basic skills of the game — catching. It's a troubling issue and one that is not unknown to the West Indies. The host broadcaster showed a graphic before the start of play on day three that highlighted that the West Indies were the worst catchers in Test cricket at slips and gully, snaring just 65.6 per cent of their chances in Tests since 2023. In this Test they caught a truly woeful 36 per cent of their chances in that area. In a game where the hosts put seven catches down, how does one determine which was the defining drop of the contest? The first? That one shelled by Brendon King no doubt set the tone for the shambles that followed. But realistically it was the one on that third morning. Australia was 4-107 at he time, their lead under 100. Head went on to score 61, his second half century of the match as part of a 102-run partnership with Beau Webster. While Head continued where he left off with his first innings, Webster's half century was just a continuation of the norm for what has been a superb start to Test cricket. Victim to a brute of a ball in the first innings to be out for 11, in this second stint he was immense. In what was just his eighth Test match innings, the 31-year-old Tasmanian scored his third half century and did so with impressive composure. His height allows him to easily get down the pitch and his timing through the covers was simply sublime. With two crucial wickets in the West Indies batting innings on day two already under his belt, the man from Snug is looking increasingly secure in that all rounder role. Alex Carey also impressed with a well-paced counter attacking display that saw him shift roles three times throughout his stay. After playing the supporting role to Webster early and stepping back into that familiar tail end hand holder at the end of his stay, he still blasted a 40-ball half century — his fastest in Tests — with the final 40 runs coming in 15 balls, including a monstrous six back over Jayden Seales' head that crashed into the sightscreen. It was a brutal display of power that illustrated just how valuable he is down at number seven, the Jekyll and Hyde position that has to adapt and shift to the circumstances in front of him. But the impetus Australia managed to gain still, arguably, came from that dropped catch in the first hour. After day two, coach Daren Sammy rightly pointing out that his team were "shooting ourselves in the foot" more than anything else. The 38-Test capped Saint Lucian may have hoped that by vocalising the issue his team would holster their self-destructive weapons for day three. Instead, they loaded them right back up and continued to aim at their own boots. The honour board of West Indian catching incompetence for this Test is lengthy and frustrating, a blight on the heroes of 1975 who were being honoured on the 50th anniversary of the West Indies' Cricket World Cup triumph in 1975 at the ground on the opening day. Brandon King, on debut, had three entries in the first day: Cameron Green (0), Usman Khawaja (45) and Nathan Lyon (3). Fortunately for him, those particular drops cost the West Indies just 11 runs. The skipper, Roston Chase, was not so lucky — Khawaja added 41 more runs after he was dropped on 6 by him at first slip. On day two, add John Campbell at third slip and Justin Greaves at second both dropped Sam Konstas in a single Shamar Joseph over while he was on 0. Again, to the West Indies' relief, Konstas failed to capitalise, only managing another 5 runs before being bowled. Head was a different story. "Holding onto that catch could have changed the game," former West Indies player Carlos Brathwaite said on ESPN. So was it the catching that has cost the West Indies the match? It's clearly not the only thing given Australia's bowling brilliance. As the Kensington Oval pitch began to crumble, Hazlewood came to the fore. Hazlewood's recent susceptibility to injury has given Australia a look ahead to a near future where this brilliant pace-bowling trio will no longer be around. But his phenomenal five-over spell of 4-5 showed that Australia still needs him. Mitch Starc and Pat Cummins also claimed wickets among the seamers, but the strength of this pace triumvirate is its ability to work together. But it was that brilliant burst from the Tamworth tearaway that caught the eye most. On a pitch offering plenty of assistance, its erratic nature was exploited by the kind of unerring accuracy that has become this seam attack's signature characteristic. Should the West Indies first innings lead have been more? Undoubtedly, the desperately poor third umpiring decisions made by Adrian Holdstock that may yet result in the West Indies issuing a formal complaint against the South African no doubt cruelled any prospect that the West Indies had of turning that narrow lead into one that was far more substantial. "Me and Shai Hope, we were having a good partnership and then, obviously a few calls set us back a bit," Chase said at the post-match presentation. "I still thought we did well to get the lead, but we couldn't put any batting innings together." That much is true, but the West Indies must also take ownership of their own frailties — such a woeful catching display will rarely lead to Test victories against a team of Australia's calibre. The second Test in Grenada gets underway on July 4. Not a long enough break to cure the catching woes. But perhaps short enough to get back on the horse and make things right through their own actions.
