Ashes Opener in Perth Becomes Instant Classic
Travis Head’s explosive century in the first Ashes Test at Perth will be remembered as one of the most fearless counterattacks in modern Test cricket. On a vicious, bowling-friendly surface where runs came in pain, Head produced pure destruction—reaching his century at lightning speed and joining the list of fastest Test hundreds ever recorded.
He also became the fastest Australian to score a Test hundred in the Ashes since David Warner, and now stands 7th on the all-time fastest Test hundreds list.
And he did this on a pitch where most batters struggled to breathe.
⚡ MATCH CONTEXT – A TWO-DAY THRILLER
This Ashes opener lasted only two days, one of the quickest finishes in Australian Test history.
Match Totals
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Team A 1st inns: 172
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Team B 1st inns: 164
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Team A 2nd inns: 132
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Team B 2nd inns: 205
A total of 673 runs were scored across four innings—on a wicket where the ball seamed, bounced, and terrorized batters from start to finish.
In this chaos, Head delivered a once-in-a-generation counterattack.
🔥 TRAVIS HEAD’S INNINGS – A GEM IN THE RUBBLE
While everyone else fought for survival, Head attacked bowlers as if batting on a different pitch.
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Dominated short balls and full lengths
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Turned pressure back on England instantly
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Maintained a strike-rate rarely seen in Ashes cricket
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Smashed boundaries at will despite unfriendly conditions
This wasn’t just a fast hundred—it was a momentum-shifting masterclass.
📊 FASTEST TEST HUNDREDS BY OPENERS (TOP 5)
(Highlighted because Head equalled Warner’s Perth benchmark)
| Rank | Batter | Balls for 100 | Opponent | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Warner | 69 | India | Perth | 2012 |
| 2 | Chris Gayle | 70 | Australia | Antigua | 2009 |
| 3 | Shikhar Dhawan | 85 | Australia | Mohali | 2013 |
| 4 | Marcus Trescothick | 90 | South Africa | The Oval | 2003 |
| 5 | Virender Sehwag | 93 | West Indies | Gros Islet | 2006 |
Travis Head’s hundred = matched Warner’s iconic 2012 record at the same ground.
🏆 FASTEST TEST HUNDREDS – ALL-TIME TOP 10
| Rank | Player | Balls | Opponent | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brendon McCullum | 54 | Australia | Christchurch | 2016 |
| 2 | Viv Richards | 56 | England | St John’s | 1986 |
| 3 | Misbah-ul-Haq | 56 | Australia | Abu Dhabi | 2014 |
| 4 | David Warner | 69 | India | Perth | 2012 |
| 5 | Chris Gayle | 70 | Australia | Antigua | 2009 |
| 6 | Shikhar Dhawan | 85 | Australia | Mohali | 2013 |
| 7 | TRAVIS HEAD | 85 | England | Perth | 2025 (Ashes) |
| 8 | Marcus Trescothick | 90 | South Africa | The Oval | 2003 |
| 9 | Sehwag | 93 | West Indies | Gros Islet | 2006 |
| 10 | Adam Gilchrist | 95 | England | Perth | 2006 |
Head’s hundred now sits proudly at 7th fastest in Test history—a remarkable achievement given the conditions.
🌩 WHY THIS INNINGS IS EXTRA SPECIAL
✔ Bowling-friendly wicket
Uneven bounce + seam movement = nightmare for top-order.
✔ Match ended in two days
Rare in modern Test cricket.
✔ Pressure situation
Australia needed someone to change the momentum instantly.
✔ Head delivered power, calmness, and intent
He didn’t just survive—he destroyed.
📌 FINAL WORD
In a Test match defined by struggle, Travis Head turned pain into pure entertainment.
His jaw-dropping, record-equalling century in Perth is now written into Ashes folklore—not just for the speed, but for the context, courage, and carnage.
Fastest hundreds are rare.
Fastest hundreds on a nightmare wicket?
That’s history.
