Travis Head has become the second hometown hero in three days for Australia in Adelaide, hitting his 11th Test hundred to leave England’s Ashes hopes on life support.

The epic milestone was the highlight of the third day at Adelaide Oval, though it didn’t come without drama.

The South Australian was dropped by Harry Brook on 99, after a misguided slash to a deepish gully. Evidently nervous approaching the ton, the left-hander was stuck on the dreaded 99 for eight balls before lofting Joe Root back over his head for four.

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In true larrikin style, Head pulled out a new celebration from the kit bag, this time kissing the middle of the Adelaide Oval pitch after taking off his helmet and gloves.

England drop Head on 99! | 00:21

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At stumps on day three, Head (142 not out) and Alex Carey (52 not out) remain at the crease, with the Aussies 4/271 holding a damning lead of 356 runs.

Speaking to media after his heroic century, Head admitted he “took the piss a bit” with his celebration, in a move where he got a good kick out of his teammates.

“I got the rise out of the dressing room that I expected. I took the piss a bit, but the wicket’s looked after me over the last few years,” Head told reporters.

“I didn’t think I’d get one (hundred at Adelaide Oval), so to get four is not too bad… I felt alright.”

“This wicket’s looked after me!” | 11:20

“If there was one last bit of life in this game you felt for England, they had to do something impressive in that third session, and they just got shut down,” Adam Gilchrist said post-play on Fox Cricket.

Mark Waugh added: “They tried hard, but they just didn’t have the quality without (Jofra) Archer bowling a lot, Ben Stokes not bowling, lack of a quality spinner.

“They certainly put in the effort, but on a pretty good batting track, the local boys were just too good.

“The game’s pretty much been ripped out from under the feet of the English.”

Head strikes again with historic ton | 06:25

By some metrics, it’s already mission impossible for England, who will need to take six more wickets tomorrow if they are to have any chance of chasing down a target less than the world record of 418 set by the West Indies back in 2003.

Only one target beyond 300 has ever been chased at the Adelaide Oval (315 by Australia, 1902 vs Eng), and only one higher than 200 since 1982. Australia’s highest chase at the venue in the last 123 years is 187 against New Zealand, which was also the first-ever day-night Test match.

As for the Poms specifically, they have chased three fourth innings targets between 362 and 378 in the last six-and-a-half years.

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‘Huge mistake’ Weatherald walks | 00:50

Crucially too for Australia, the thunderstorms and considerable rain once forecast for Sunday has now been revised down to a maximum of four millimetres (as of Friday 6pm ACDT), which could now leave more time for Pat Cummins’ side to both bat and bowl out England.

After the preventable loss of Jake Weatherald on the stroke of lunch, Head and Usman Khawaja (40) rebuilt to take the hosts from 2/53 to 2/139 before the latter’s eventual dismissal.

Khawaja, who turned 39 yesterday, picked up where he left off on day one by playing patient, yet proactive cricket shots for a second straight innings.

“I still believe there’s an opportunity” | 10:25

Their 86-run partnership came after the loss of Marnus Labuschagne, who looked scratchy throughout his 45-ball stay before edging to second slip on 13.

Will Jacks’ off-spin was bravely introduced into the attack just 13 overs into the innings, however he did manage to extract a notable amount of turn off the Adelaide Oval surface despite disheartening bowling conditions.

Playbook predicts Starc v Stokes success | 00:29

Ben Stokes didn’t bowl himself across 66 overs in the field on Friday, a clear sign his workload with both bat and ball is becoming a burden.

Stokes played a key role in a defiant 106-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Jofra Archer, which helped swing momentum England’s way early on day three.

The aforementioned duo got through the first 70 minutes of day three unscathed, before Mitchell Starc finally dismissed Stokes, bowled for 83.

Stokes’ frustration upon his departure was evident, though the skipper’s fighting knock couldn’t have come at a better time. The exact same could be said for Archer, who hit his first professional half-century in over eight years.

“How much of a load can he carry?” | 00:35

Archer’s stellar knock finished on 51, edging Scott Boland to first slip and putting a full stop on his first red-ball fifty at professional level for over eight years.

Stokes registered his first runs of the morning with a glorious cover drive to the boundary, which quickly forced Carey to come up to the stumps when wicketkeeping to Boland.

In the ultimate ‘Bazball’ contrast, Stokes as of today now holds the record for the two slowest half-centuries in the Brendan McCullum era, as well as the fastest off just 24 balls, as per SEN’s Tom Morris.

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