Travis Head smashed a magnificent unbeaten century to help Australia beat England by seven wickets in the first ODI match in Nottingham on Thursday. Australia chased down a tough 316-run target with 36 balls remaining to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match away series against their oldest rivals.
Playing their first ODI game since a memorable triumph in the ICC World Cup 2023 in India, Australia displayed their dominance with a successive sixth ODI win over the Three Lions.
Head top-scored with 154* off 129 runs to break legendary Shane Watson’s 11-year-old record for the highest score by an Australian in England in ODI history. Head also claimed two wickets for 34 to clinch the Player of the Match award at Trent Bridge.
Earlier in the game, England managed to post a challenging total of 315 while batting first. Ben Duckett top-scored with 95 runs while Will Jacks smashed a quick 62 to put England on track for a huge total.
Australia made a late impact with Marnus Labuschagne and Adam Zampa taking three wickets each. For the first time in their history, Australian spinners managed to scalp nine wickets in an ODI match.
Chasing a tough total, Australia lost captain Mitchell Marsh early in the fourth over while Steve Smith and Cameron Green fell in the thirties to concede some pressure for the travelling side.
But Head and Labuschagne emulated their World Cup 2023 final performance with an unbeaten 148-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Labuschagne smashed 77* off just 61 balls but once against Head stole the show by scoring a brilliant 154*.
“Got a bit lucky at the start of my innings but know if you get through there’s a lot of runs on offer,” Travis Head during the post-match presentation. “Felt like we battled and grind, used different people. Jofra had it going around corners. Thought we played spin exceptionally well. I have a bit of a blueprint and a role, enjoy doing my role, play the game a little more relaxed now.”
Australia Playing XI: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Steven Smith, Cameron Green, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (wk), Matthew Short, Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Adam Zampa.
England Playing XI: Philip Salt, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Harry Brook (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid.