While we were sleeping, Travis Head was plundering.
Let that be the story of our winter.
What a remarkable cricketer the South Australian left hander is proving to be.
The thoroughly modern number 5.
He used to make me nervous… that old school thinking “you can’t play Test cricket like that”.
Now it’s essential to have a batter or two that can play in such a mode, inflict maximum damage on an opponent and alter momentum so completely.
Head’s journey to his first century away from home has been rickety.
Dropped from the final Test of the last Ashes series.
Dropped for the first Test match in India.
And in between he’d lost his contract at one point.
But along the way he found the clarity to bring his scintillating Shield style to Test cricket rather than a tepid, more conservative, less effective imitation.
In consecutive home summers Head was Australia’s best batter.
He bookended the Ashes with trademark centuries in Brisbane and Hobart.
And when recalled in India altered Australia’s fortunes at the top of the order.
Last night he arrived in the middle of The Oval when Australia had lost two wickets in 15 balls either side of lunch, surrendering the advantage built through the toughest part of the day.
Dave Warner was especially unlucky because he was on his way.
Head played and missed then opened his blade with beautifully timed boundaries either side of point.
He played and missed again before a splendid clip wide of mid-on and a whip over mid-wicket to be 18 off 12.
And then he settled into his repertoire of cuts, back foot drives and upper cuts.
He posted his century with an ungainly pull. The ton registered off 106 balls.
And by day’s end he’d blasted 22 fours and a six.
I made it to tea and have been watching the final session on replay this morning as he moved from 60 to 146 in an innings that is drawing international comparisons to the heady days of Adam Gilchrist.
And no higher praise can there be.
Head’s story is a matter of trust.
Australian cricket had to learn to put its faith in him.
Head had to trust his natural game to flourish at the highest level.
And we had to park the traditional trepidation and embrace the new age approach.
Last night it all came together in a showpiece innings at the global pinnacle.
‘TravBall’ is now a lethal weapon.
What a remarkable cricketer he is turning out to be.