Travis Head stroked his way to a remarkable century on Day 3 of the third Test between England and Australia in Adelaide. He brought up the boundary with a four to Joe Root. The celebration was emotional and personal. With the bat in one hand and the helmet in the other, Head raised both to the stands and then turned toward his wife. He dropped to his knees and kissed the Adelaide turf. His wife was visibly delighted as the entire stadium joined in the moment.

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Travis Head was dropped on 99 by Harry Brook and spent eight balls one run short of a century before belting Joe Root down the ground for four to draw a huge roar from his home crowd at the Adelaide Oval. The left-hander took Australia’s second innings past 200 and their overall lead towards 300. Head’s record at this venue is extraordinary. He has now scored five hundreds and two fifties in nine Tests at Adelaide. He has also become only the second batter to register hundreds in four consecutive Tests at this ground. The streak started against the West Indies in 2022 when he scored 175 and 38 not out. That was followed by 119 and 140 in later outings, and now this century adds to the legacy.

Head is the leading run getter in this Ashes series so far with more than 250 runs and is also highest run getter for Australia in Tests in 2025 going past Alex Carey with more than 700 runs. He has always been a reliable performer on the biggest stages. He scored a hundred in the World Test Championship final and another in the Cricket World Cup.

Day 3 started well for England as Stokes made 83 and Archer 51 in a stand of 106, the highest by an England ninth-wicket pair in Australia since 1924 which helped England bring down the deficit down below a 100. In reply, Australia have lost four wickets but Travis Head’s century has taken the lead past 350 and they have a good chance to wrap up this match in the next few days.

Head’s inevitable ton snuffed out brief England hope that was raised when captain Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer added 73 runs in the morning session. If Australia win tomorrow, Ashes would have been decided in 10 days of cricket. Not since 1921, when Australia needed only eight days of play to win in England, has the destination of the urn been settled so quickly.