Australia ended day two of the first Test on 343-7, a lead of 196, after a blistering century from Travis Head (112no); David Warner (94) and Marnus Labuschagne (74) shared a stand of 156 for the second wicket; Ollie Robinson takes 3-48 as England toil late in the day
Thursday 9 December 2021 16:04, UK
Travis Head hit the third fastest century in Ashes history as Australia built a commanding first-innings lead over England on day two of the first Test in Brisbane.
The left-hander came in in the midst of an England fightback that saw the tourists take four quick wickets either side of tea which reduced the hosts to 195-5, and counter-attacked brilliantly to bring up his third Test ton from 85 balls and reaffirm his side's position of strength.
David Warner (94) had earlier fallen just short of a hundred after a second-wicket stand of 156 with Marnus Labuschagne (74) having made the most of some good fortune that saw him bowled off a no-ball by Ben Stokes on 17 and dropped in the slips on 48 off Ollie Robinson (3-48).
After the expensive Jack Leach got Labuschagne, Mark Wood removed Steve Smith (12) cheaply and two wickets in two balls from Robinson gave England hope of limiting the deficit before Head's intervention.
Australia closed on 343-7, a lead of 196, with Head 122no from 95 balls, while England's gloom was added to with Stokes and Robinson appearing to sustain knocks, and the latter unable to take the second new ball.
After the disappointment of being rolled for 147 on day one, England made a strong start to the second morning with Robinson quickly making his mark in his maiden Ashes Test as he removed Marcus Harris (3) in the sixth over, a fraction of seam movement enough to take the edge and Dawid Malan held on at third slip.
The England seamers continued to push throughout the morning and thought they had Warner when Stokes got one past his defences to hit middle stump, only for the third umpire to call him for a front-foot no-ball.
Stokes' first four balls should have been called for no-balls but with the no-ball technology not working, the all-rounder was unaware and unable to adjust until after it had cost him the wicket of Warner.
It was that type of session for England with the pace bowlers finding edges that did not quite carry and they were given little respite as Warner and Labuschagne blasted Leach out of the attack.
The pattern continued after lunch with Robinson finding Warner's edge in the first over of the afternoon, only for Rory Burns to shell a regulation chance at second slip, and the Aussie opener was able to join Labuschagne in reaching his fifty in the next over.
Warner also survived a run out chance as Haseeb Hameed missed the stumps from close range at short leg and Australia were into the lead by the time Leach, having been thumped for six the ball before, had Labuschagne caught at backward point.
Smith came out at No 4 and, after a frenetic start, just appeared to be settling in when Wood found his outside edge in the penultimate over of the session to claim a well-deserved first wicket of the innings.
Two overs after tea, England were right back in the contest. Robinson ousted Warner with a ball that held in the surface a touch and was chipped to Stokes in the covers, and then produced a beautiful nip-backer next ball to peg back Cameron Green's off stump as the all-rounder shouldered arms.
England were buoyant and, after Alex Carey kept out the hat-trick ball, Robinson nearly did for Head as he found the outside edge but saw the ball sail just wide of the five slips and run away for four.
Stokes had been struggling with a knee issue but came on to bowl off a shortened run-up and it served only to help Head get going, the left-hander thumping three boundaries from the solitary over of the spell.
Chris Woakes had Carey (12) caught at mid-wicket on the pull but Head was going strong, bringing up his half-century from 51 balls and dishing out more punishment to Leach.
A painful blow to his left arm after a short ball from Wood was not enough to slow him down and captain Pat Cummins contributed just 12 to a seventh-wicket partnership of 70 before being caught by Hameed at leg-slip off Joe Root.
Head seemed determined to reach three figures before the second new ball and, while he missed out on that target, it took him just two balls of the new cherry to get there with a fine on-drive for four off Woakes.
Even being floored by a beamer from Wood at the start of the next over was not enough to take the smile off his face and a bruising end to the day for England was complete when Jos Buttler put down a very tough chance in the final over after an inside edge from Mitchell Starc (10no).
With three days remaining, England are already facing a battle to save the game.
