8h agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 1:38amLive updates: Australia vs England, first Test, day two

3m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:59am

Steve Smith, like the rest of us, is in awe of Travis Head

The stand-in Australia captain says that’s as good a knock as he’s seen from anyone.

“Out of this world. He hit some outrageous shots,” Smith says.

“When you’re on you’re and he made the most of it.

“That was just incredible to witness.”

6m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:56am

What happened to England?(Getty)

Ben Stokes is speaking in the post-match presentation.

He says he’s “shell-shocked”.

“What a knock,” he says of Travis Head’s match-winning hand.

“That knock from Travis has knocked the wind out of us.”

He’s speaking about Head the way the Aussies spoke about Stokes after that 2019 Headingley innings.

Stokes says taking on the game seemed to be the best tactic for batting, but that didn’t seem to work great for England in the first innings.

“Guys who found success on that wicket were the ones who looked to take the bowlers on,” he says.

“The guys who were brave enough to knock the bowlers off their length were the ones who had success.”

He says the extra time off before the Gabba Test will give them plenty of opportunities to work on their craft.

9m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:53am

Mitchell Starc is player of the match!(Getty)

Wow. A big call but I respect the hell out of the selectors for choosing a bowler who took 10 wickets over the flashier explosive batter.

“It was quite a helter skelter two days,” Starc says.

“You can’t go home not happy with the entertainment you’ve seen.”

Starc says he was calm coming into the game as the senior member of the group by some distance.

“I was the old head but it didn’t change my role at all,” he says.

“Really pleased.”

11m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:51am

Just about sums it up(Getty)

13m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:48am

This is the first two-day Ashes Test in over a century

After scores of 172, 132 and 164, chasing 205 to win felt unlikely but tracking it down within a session sounded farcical.

As it turned out, it required a farcical performance by Travis Head to get it done, and it’s the first time an Ashes Test has ended inside two days since 1921 at Trent Bridge.

20m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:41amAustralia wins the opening Ashes Test by eight wickets(Getty)

What a remarkable victory for Australia, on the back of remarkable bowling performances and an otherworldly century by Travis Head.

In an utterly wild Test match, Travis Head was the only batter to truly grab hold of the game and hang onto it for any longer than a couple of overs.

England coach and the owner of the fastest ever Test century Brendon McCullum bows to Head as they meet for a handshake. A true mark of respect.

Head’s 123 was the highest score in the game, more than doubling the next best (Harry Brook’s first-innings 52).

21m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:41am

29th over – Australia needs just one run to win

Steve Smith faces Brydon Carse.

He goes short, and Smith pushes it through cover.

That will do it!

22m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:40amFIFTY FOR MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE(Getty)

He reaches a half-century of 49 balls, clearing the rope with a six to tie the score as he reaches his milestone.

Wow. What a day of cricket we’ve seen.

23m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:39am

28th over – Joe Root is getting a go

Alright. Sure. I guess.

Marnus and Smudge nudge and noodle him for a couple of singles.

Whoa! Labuschagne charges and whacks it down the ground, losing his top hand but still getting it past Jofra Archer at mid-off for four more.

Lovely slice forehand.

28m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:33amTravis Head finally holes out! He goes for a stunning ton(Getty)

He goes for one more slog into the deep, but this time picks out Ollie Pope at mid-wicket, who settles under it and eventually manages to reel the catch in.

Head embraces Marnus Labuschagne and the arriving Steve Smith as he leaves the field with 123 off 83 next to his name, having batted Australia into a winning position.

They only need 13 runs to win. Surely there’s not time for another twist.

31m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:30am

27th over – 23 to win for Australia

Brydon Carse gets a turn and starts … get this … short.

BOOM! Carse follows Head and he flicks off his pads over the leg side.

BANG! Short and smashed over mid-wicket on the pull by Travis Head. He doesn’t want Marnus to reach his fifty.

Ten off the last three balls. Thirteen to win.

37m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:24am

26th over – Australia needs 43 runs to win

WHACK! The short stuff continues despite it almost never working, and Labuschagne backs away, smacking it through mid-wicket for four.

And then a more controlled little hooked guide around to deep fine leg for a single.

A wide. Sure, why not? The bouncers aren’t even coming in with any venom at this point. What are these tactics?

Bang! Atkinson goes full and Head just backs away and slaps him down the ground.

“Oh no, get over!” Head shouts as he carves behind point, and get over it does, clearing the outstretched hand of Brydon Carse, racing away for four as the 100 partnership comes up.

Short. Too short. Wide.

Head flicks away off his knees and that’s another single.

TWENTY FROM THE OVER as Labuschagne slaps another short one over the top of mid-on for four.

41m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:21am

25th over – Archer persists

Head’s walking all over the place and Archer tries a slower ball, which Head manages to dab down to third man.

The bouncers are being banged in and Labuschagne is ducking under it.

Short and uppercut! But Gus Atkinson can’t get in off the fence to reach the ball in time. Labuschagne takes a single and retains the strike.

46m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:15am

24th over – Gus Atkinson keeps coming

He’s predictably short and Labuschagne pulls away neatly, piercing the protection and stealing two.

Labuschagne backs away and plays a very Steve Smith-esque overhead smash past mid-off for a single.

Head steps back and plays a leaping slap at a high ball over the stumps that somehow falls safely in front of mid-wicket.

Marnus tucks one around the corner, and he doesn’t mind getting them in ones with the field spread.

Just for something different, Head appears to perfectly predict Atkinson’s ‘surprise’ yorker, steps in line and just whips off his toes for another single.

51m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:11am

23rd over – Archer bowling to Labuschagne

BANG! Now Marnus is going off chops, backing away and slapping a bouncer over mid-off for four. This is ridiculous.

A couple of singles for this pair as they nudge the short balls deep into the spread field.

Head’s almost run out! Labuschagne pushes to mid-wicket and scurries through, but head lumbers down and Mark Wood flings a ball at his end. The direct hit is close, but Head just grounds his bat in time.

56m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:05amA magnificent, surely match-winning century from Travis Head(Getty)

He backs away one more time and bunts a ball behind point to reach three figures off just 69 balls.

It’s the equal third fastest by an Australian in Tests.

He’s hit 12 fours and four sixes, and they’ve come all over the park with his team in dire straits.

What an outlandish performance.

58m agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 9:04am

22nd over – Head faces Atkinson

The field is set for more short stuff, but Head doesn’t care. He just backs away and muscles a ball off his chest through point for two more.

He moves to 95.

You KNOW he wants to bring it up with a six.

Over the top! For four! He backs away and slashes over cover for four to move to 99 off 68.

1h agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 8:57am

21st over – Australia needs 69 runs to win

Travis Head is on 92 off 63!

Labuschagne nudges a single to the leg side and again just gives Head a look at the bowling off Jofra Archer.

Three fielders on the off side, so Head is backing away and trying to clear the ropes.

1h agoSat 22 Nov 2025 at 8:54am

20th over – Travis Head has 33 runs off his last 15 balls

The Aussie opener (can they move him now?) is 84 off 59.

Marnus Labuschagne works Gus Atkinson for a single off his hip and gives the strike to Head. That’s his job now.

As Chris De Silva observed, it’s a little like the 2023 World Cup final against India.

FOUR! He backs away and swipes a ball from over the stumps that sails to third man for another boundary.

(Getty)

Four more! Same ball, same score, different side. This time he steps into the line and slaps it around the corner.