Australia's domination with the bat through the first two days of the opening Test of the summer, against the West Indies at the Optus Stadium, gave way to a mammoth score of 598/4, at which point skipper Pat Cummins decided to declare and send the Caribbean batters in to tackle the new ball in the last few overs of the third session. The hosts were largely spurred by double centuries from Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith while Usman Khawaja scored a valuable 65. However, perhaps the most entertaining phase of the batting innings was once Travis Head came out to play, knowing he had to accelerate in order to set up a big score before the skipper calls the team in to wrap up the innings.
The in-form batter from South Australia delivered, smacking 11 boundaries and ending with a strike rate of 104.21. When the team did not declare at Tea, it was evident that the Kangaroos were simply waiting for Travis Head and Steve Smith to reach their respective milestones. And while the latter fulfilled his part in the 153rd over, the former in a rare occasion was cleaned up for 99 that too by a part-time spinner.
Facing skipper Kraigg Braithwaite, who averages 52.84 with the ball in Tests, Head tried to fine-cut a ball close to his stumps. However, he failed to gauge the speed of the ball darting in rapidly and all he could manage was an inside edge onto the stumps, leaving him stranded just one run short of a fifth Test ton. Head's anger was immediately evident as he walked off, ending what was a brilliant batting display by Australia on a sour note much to Twitterati's amusement.
Oh lord!
Getting a reprisal on 99 isn't for everyone 😉
— Cricket on BT Sport (@btsportcricket)
Travis Head chopped on when on the verge 🙃
Heartbreaking!
— MAHARAJ JI (@MAHARAJ96620593)
Sad
Oh man Travis head bowled on 99 misses his brilliant ton
— ES乛luk丨IZC (@lukorachi)
Coincidence
Seconds after Travis Head falls for 99 in Perth, Zak Crawley appears to follow suit in Rawalpindi ... pinned lbw by Naseem Shah for 99 from 83 balls. He reviews .. and it is MISSING ... England are 185-0 from 28.3 overs
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali)
Finally
Australia declare on 598/4!
— Jega8 (@imBK08)
Poor travis
Poor Travis Head.
— Julian King (@JulianKing15)
He becomes the 7th Australian to make 99 in Perth.
He joins Warne, Slater, K. Hughes, Jones, S. Waugh and Katich (at the WACA).
More Australian 99s have been scored in Perth than any other city.
Game of luck
Travis Head 99 in Perth, Crawley survives 99 in Pindi
— Shahid Hashmi (@hashmi_shahid)
Sad
Travis Head😢
— Jai ♡ (@Mr_CupidforEver)
Declared
Australia Declared on 598
— Sakthimurugan S (@Sakthimurug_10)
With Smith's 4th Double Hundred
Travis head Misses the century by one run
He deserved it
Travis Head, missed well deserved test hundred.
— DIVYANSH¹⁷ ॐ (@ImDivyansh_17)
Definetly it will
This will hurt Travis Head for a long time, there was a hundred for the taking.
— Yashraj (@Yashrbh)
Reminds me of Adelaide 14 test where both M Vijay & V Kohli was nearing 100 in 2nd innings and Kohli got there first and Vijay couldn’t
Heartbreak
Heartbreak for Travis Head - he chops on 99 in just 95 balls. A richly deserved century missed by Head.
— Younus Basheer (@YounusBashir__)
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