"Didn’t come here expecting to bowl the 50th twice" - Travis Head after his all-round efforts in ENG vs AUS 2024 5th ODI
Australian opener Travis Head has sarcastically remarked that he didn't expect to bowl the 50th over twice in the ODI series against England. Head also said he is trying to up his bowling workload ahead of the Sri Lanka tour early next year.
Head bowled the 50th over in the first and final ODI as the respective captains found spin bowling helpful. He was successful on both occasions, picking up two wickets in the opening game and taking a solitary one in the fifth.
Speaking after winning the Player of the Match award for his all-round efforts in the fifth ODI, Head suggested he often teases Josh Hazlewood about death bowling and was quoted as saying by Fox Sports:
"Joking about death bowling with (Josh) Hazlewood. I know he’s always complaining about bowling at the death. I didn’t come here expecting to bowl the 50th twice but nice to get the job done. We’re going to Galle in a couple of months time, so keeping my loads up."
The fifth ODI in Bristol saw England get off to a flying start before collapsing to the spin of Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, and Head, who finished with figures of 6.2-0-28-4 to keep the hosts to 309.
Australia won the match by 49 runs via the DLS method to win the five-match series 3-2.
"Every time he bowls he seems to change the game in a way" - Mitchell Marsh on Travis Head
Mitchell Marsh, who skipped the fifth ODI due to feeling sore, hailed Travis Head's clarity in how he goes about things and added he is an asset in spinning conditions. Marsh said in a press conference (via Fox Sports):
"We just let him play away and do his thing. He’s found real consistency in the way he goes about things, and he’s a game changer. For him, it’s about being as clear as possible and we just let him go. I think he’s a very underrated bowler, and every time he bowls he seems to change the game in a way … he’s a great character when he bowls, love his celebrations. The conditions changed, it started spinning a bit later on in their innings. To have options like him, we’re lucky."
Australia's next assignment is the limited-overs home series against Pakistan in November.