In the first Test match of the Ashes series against England, Australia`s Travis Head dominated the English pacers by smashing a blistering century at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
Riding on his knock, the Aussies secured a victory by eight wickets in the first Test match against the “Three Lions”. In Australia`s second innings, facing just 83 balls, the left-hander smashed 123 runs, which was laced with 16 boundaries and four maximums.
Opening the innings along with Head, Jake Weatherald scored 23 runs in 34 balls, with the help of three boundaries.
Marnus Labuschagne and stand-in skipper Steve Smith stayed unbeaten, guiding the side to the comfortable victory. Facing 49 balls, Labuschagne garnered an unbeaten 51 runs, including six boundaries and a maximum. On the other hand, Smith scored just two runs in four balls.
England`s Brydon Carse was the only bowler who managed to pick wickets. In his spell of 5.2 overs, he claimed two wickets by conceding 44 runs. Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood, Joe Root, and England`s skipper Ben Stokes went wicketless in the match.
Earlier, the visitors were bowled out for 164 runs in their second innings. Atkinson emerged as their highest run-scorer in the innings, as he scored 37 runs in 32 balls, including two boundaries and the same number of maximums.
Australia`s Scott Boland bagged four wickets, whereas Mitchell Starc and Brendan Doggett registered three wickets each to their names. Cameron Green failed to pick up any wickets in England`s second innings.
During the clash, Starc achieved a rare feat. He completed 10 wickets in the match, making him the first Australian pacer to register a 10-wicket haul in Ashes Tests history since 1990-91.
Earlier, Craig McDermott produced figures of 11/157, which also came at Perth, though at the WACA Stadium during the final Test of the series.
The second Test match of the much-anticipated Ashes series is scheduled to be played from December 4 at The Gabba in Queensland. It will be interesting to see if Australia`s pacer Josh Hazlewood and skipper Pat Cummins manage to make the return.