WTC Final | Travis Head creates history, hits maiden WTC final century

AP/PTI Photo London. Travis Head has created history by scoring a century on the first day of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against India. Travis Head has pulled his team out of trouble. This is Head’s sixth Test century. Australia had lost three wickets for 76 runs and the Indian team had the upper hand in the match. Head played aggressively against the Indian fast bowlers, playing in his familiar style. The Australian team came under pressure after the dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne (26 off 62 balls). Although Mohammed Shami could not bowl at his best in the morning session, he uprooted the off-stump of Labushen with the first beautiful ball after lunch. Then Head came to support Smith at the crease and he put pressure on India by hitting fours against Shami and Mohammad Siraj. ICC World Test Championship Final | Travis Head hits 6th century in 106 balls. Australia at 233/3 in 64.4 overs against India on Day 1 at The Oval (Source: ICC) pic.twitter.com/QkMZnlbTBB — ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2023 Did not give much runs in his seven overs. Umesh Yadav was brought back to bowl towards the end of the season but he could not make any breakthrough. Australia scored 97 runs in 28 overs in the second session. Earlier, Siraj took the wicket in the opening spell and Thakur dismissed David Warner at the crease, due to which Australia lost two wickets for 73 runs till lunch. Warner (43 off 60 balls) and Labushen looked to finish the first session after dealing with challenging conditions in the first hour at ‘The Oval’. But Thakur dismissed the left-handed opener with his short ball, aiming for the ribs. Wicketkeeper KS Bharat took a good catch on the leg side. India, as expected, won the toss and elected to bowl on a grassy pitch and cloudy weather. India decided not to include Ravichandran Ashwin in the playing XI which fielded a four-pacer attack comprising Shami, Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Thakur. read this also Siraj and Shami kept the reins on Australia in the first hour, who gave only 29 runs in six overs together. Siraj got more help from the pitch than Shami. Usman Khawaja (zero in 10 balls) has a normal record in England, he made a disappointing start to the tour and returned to the pavilion after touching the bat on the ball going outside the stump of Siraj and caught behind the stump. Trying to cement his place in the playing XI for the upcoming Ashes, Warner took advantage of the bad balls. Warner hit four fours on Umesh Yadav in the 15th over. Labushen had a tough time in the beginning and Siraj’s fast ball hit his left thumb. He then survived two close DRS decisions to lbw off the bowling of Thakur at the end of the session. The Australian team did not want to lose any more wickets in the session but Warner was caught by the wicketkeeper while trying to pull the ball taking an outside angle from Thakur. Bharat took this catch while diving. (with agency inputs)