[Watch] Travis Head surprised as bat gets broken and goes flying in an attempt to pull Andre Russell during MLC 2024 clash
A comical moment involving Travis Head ensued during the 2024 Major League Cricket (MLC) clash between the Los Angeles Travis HeadKnight Riders (LAKR) and Washington Freedom (WSF) at Morrisville on Sunday, July 14. The southpaw was stunned to see his bat break and fly out of his hands as the ball rolled to the mid-on region.
A pacy short-of-length delivery from West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell beat Head for speed as the southpaw looked to execute a pull-shot. The bat flew from his hands towards the square leg umpire while the ball went towards the mid-on region, causing a stunned look on the Aussie opener's face.
Here is a video of the moment:
Following the moment, Head hit his stride immediately, scoring a brilliant 32-ball 54 with the aid of two fours and six maximums.
Chasing a sub-par 130 for victory, the 30-year-old ensured WSF faced no hiccups in completing the task in only 16 overs with eight wickets to spare. Head was well-supported by skipper Steve Smith, who finished unbeaten on 42 from 36 deliveries.
It was Head's first half-century of the competition, taking his overall tally to 87 runs at an average of 29 and a strike rate of over 164 in four matches.
The win meant WSF remained unbeaten with a third win in as many completed games and a lone No Result.
Sitting pretty atop the standings with 7 points in 4 outings and three games to go, WSF are almost certain for a top-four finish to advance to the playoffs.
Travis Head's exploits were preceded by stellar bowling performance by WSF
While Travis Head's half-century was the highlight of WSF's run chase, a strong bowling display in the first innings set the stage for their comfortable win. After winning the toss and electing to field first, WSF restricted LAKR to a paltry 129 in 18.4 overs.
USA's Saurabh Netravalkar continued his stellar from the 2024 T20 World Cup, finishing with outstanding figures of 4/35 in 3.4 overs. He was ably supported by Glenn Maxwell (3/15) and Lockie Ferguson(2/31) as the WSF bowlers never allowed LAKR batters to settle in.
The defeat was LAKR's third in four completed matches, leaving them second from bottom with three points in five games. They will take on the Seatle Orcas in a must-win encounter on Wednesday, July 17.
Meanwhile, WSF will look to continue their unbeaten run in their next outing against MI New York (MINY) on Tuesday, July 16.