Australia’s flamboyant opener Travis Head continued his purple patch in the ongoing Ashes 2025-26. Head scored his third century in the series, equalling the record for most centuries by an Australian opener in an Ashes series. He is the seventh Australian to achieve the feat and the second in the 21st century.
Joe Darling was the first to do it in Ashes 1897/98. Three decades later, Bill Woodful did it in 1928/29 Ashes. Arthur Morris is the only Australian opener to achieve the feat in both home and away Ashes. Bill Lawry did it in 1965/66 Ashes. Then, Michael Slater did it in consecutive home Ashes in the 1990s. Before Head, Matthew Hayden was the last Australian opener to achieve the feat in 2002/03 Ashes.
Dropped by Jacks, Head scores another 150
Head got a major reprieve in the first session of Day 3’s play. Will Jacks dropped a regulation catch on the boundary when Head was batting on 122. He went on to get to his 150 from 152 balls. It is the fourth joint-fastest 150 in Ashes history.
Darling holds the record for fastest Ashes 150 as he reached the milestone from 129 balls in 1898. Australia’s wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist did it from 141 balls in Edgbaston in 2001. Two decades later, Head got to his 150 from 143 balls in Brisbane in 2021. England opener Zak Crawley made the list with a 152-ball 150 at Old Trafford in previous edition of Ashes.
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On Day 3, Head eventually got dismissed by young left-arm spinner Jacob Bethell. He went for the sweep shot but got trapped in front of the stumps. The southpaw opted for a review but it did not work in his favour. The 32-year-old scored 163 runs from 166 balls, including 24 fours and a six.
Head enters another elite list
This was Head’s first Test century at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He became the fifth batter to score a Test century at seven different venues in Australia. He has got Test centuries in Canberra, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
Only four other batters – Steve Waugh, Hayden, Justin Langer and, David Warner – had achieved the feat earlier.
600 up for Head
Head became the eighth Australian batter to score 600 or more runs in an Ashes series. From nine innings, he has scored 600 runs at an average of 66.66 and strike rate of 87.59. In 1934, Bradman cane close to Head's strike rate, scoring at 73.09.
Batters to score 600 or more runs in an Ashes series are -- Bradman, Mark Taylor, Steve Smith, Morris, Keith Stackpole, Slater and Greg Chappell. If England set a good target in the final Test of the series, Head will have a chance to go past Chappell (608 runs), Slater (623 runs) and Stackpole (623 runs).