Travis Head smashes second-best score by Australian against England in ODIs

Head accomplished this during the first ODI against England at Nottingham.

During the game, in a run chase of 316 runs, Head smashed an unbeaten 154* in 129 balls, with 20 fours and five sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 119.38.

The highest score by an Australian against England in ODIs is by Shane Watson, who smashed 161* in 150 balls, with 12 fours and four sixes back in 2011 while chasing a total of 295 runs.

Also, Head smashed 20 boundaries, the third most by an Australian batter in an ODI innings, behind Glenn Maxwell's 21 fours during his knock of 201* against Afghanistan in the World Cup held in India last year and David Warner's 24 fours against South Africa in 2016 at Cape Town, in which he scored 173 runs.

Coming to the match, England won the toss and elected to bat first. Half-centuries from opener Ben Duckett (95 in 91 balls, with 11 fours) and Will Jacks (62 in 56 balls, with five fours and two sixes) shined bright for England as rest of the batters failed to convert their starts into big scores. Jacks and Duckett put 120 run stand for second wicket.

Skipper Harry Brook (39 in 31 balls, with two fours and three sixes) and Jacob Bethell (35 in 34 balls, with three fours and a six) in particular could not convert their cameos into big knocks. England was bundled out for 315 runs despite enjoying a solid position of 213/2 at one point.

Adam Zampa (3/49) and Marnus Labuschagne (3/34) were top bowlers for Australia. Travis Head also got two wickets. Spinners took nine wickets for Australia, including one by Matthew Short.

In the run chase, skipper Mitchell Marsh (10), Steve Smith (32) and Cameron Green (32) fell as Travis unleashed his carnage from one end. Head, who made 154* in 129 balls, with 20 fours and five sixes, stitched a 148-run stand with Labuschagne (77* in 61 balls, with seven fours and two sixes), chasing down the total in just 44 overs with seven wickets in hand.

Matthew Potts, Bethell and Liam Livingstone got a wicket each.

Head was given the 'Player of the Match' award for his all-round show.

Australia now have a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. (ANI)