A brutal century by Travis Head has blasted Sunrisers Hyderabad back into the Indian Premier League play-off places in another match for bowlers to forget.
One of the few who may remember it with any affection is Pat Cummins, who went for more than ten-an-over but took three wickets, and is Sunrisers captain.
Head’s first T20 hundred was the fourth fastest in IPL history, made off 39 balls. His 102 was the launchpad for Hyderabad to make 3-287, bettering their own IPL record of 3-277 set earlier this season.
Yet they only won by 25 runs as Royal Challengers Bengaluru recovered from 6-181 in the 15th over to finish on 7-262. The 549-run aggregate was easily the highest in IPL history.
“I feel like I wish I was a batter,” said Cummins. “If you bowl an over for seven or eight it feels great.
“I’m really happy with our cricket, the freedom with which the batters are going out to play is great and few wily bowlers doing the job as well.”
Head’s blistering ton included eight sixes and nine fours. The Australian left-hander pounded the fast bowlers, notably New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson (2-52), who had a forgettable first game of the season as Bengaluru’s ploy not to go with a specialist spinner backfired.
Head raised his half-century off 20 balls and completed his century off the next 19 before finally holing out off Ferguson to mid-off.
“The pitch played beautifully,” he said. “We thought we had to take the license to go.”
Of his own batting he added: “It’s not the prettiest thing in the world but I’m pleased with how I struck the ball today.”
“It was unbelievable, special knock,” said teammate Heinrich Klassen, who added 57 in 26 balls with Head, making 67 himself off 31 balls.
Australian batsman Travis Head hit the fourth fastest century in the IPL. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Abdul Salam (37no in ten balls) and Aiden Markram (32no in 17) then smashed 46 runs off the last two overs, bowled by Reece Topley (1-68) and Vijaykumar Vyshak (0-64).
Head was then subbed out, enabling him to have a “nice little bit of food, a shower and put my feet up.”
Out in the middle Faf du Plessis (62) and Virat Kohli (42) helped the home team to a rollicking start of 79 in the batting power play.
But Cummins dismissed Du Plessis caught down the leg side, and sliced through the middle order.
Dinesh Karthik plundered 83 off 35 balls to keep the game alive, but though Anuj Rawat (25no) hit four boundaries in the last over off Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0-60) the task was simply too great. RCB’s fifth loss on the spin leaves them bottom of the table.
Blink
Roar Rookie
The batters are onto the defensive bowling as they're all trying to bowl wide yorkers. As Ponting said "attacking bowling is what will win you games". Rashid Khan, back in form now, is the best exponent of that. Batters are scared of him.
Laurie
Roar Rookie
It seems like Travis still knows which end of the bat to hold.
Andrew
Roar Rookie
Eventually no one will want to be a bowler if this continues and that will be the death of all cricket.
Blink
Roar Rookie
This was a copy of what Sunil Narine said a few days back. Narine has been promoted to open or first drop as he cuts loose from ball one. He said that the game is for batters so you mostly suffer as a bowler but its fun to bat with no restrictions. Narine is one of the the tightest bowlers in IPL regularly going for 20 or thereabouts in his 4 overs. Not his exact words but his meaning. Last night going for 10 an over was the best a bowler could hope for. That was Cummins, the best bowler in the game.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
The IPL is made for ROADS as wickets and batsmen. Note Cummins words, “I feel like I wish I was a batter,” said Cummins. “If you bowl an over for seven or eight it feels great”. Inherent in there, is a frustration from Cummins. However this is obviously offset by the remuneration for several weeks “ work”.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Liam Neeson is his role model.
Dougs
Roar Rookie
Head has a quality that many sportspersons would give anything for. He has become nerveless. He relies on his incredible eye and timing and does not give a stuff about averages. He has decided, and I am sure that this has been encouraged by his captain and coaches, that he will just play the way that works best for him. It doesn't always work but it has won the teams that he plays for many matches. He won the Wisden Test Performance of the year award and man of the match for his performance in the ICC Test Championship final. He was man of the match in the ODI world cup final. Any team would want him playing for them. I watched this IPL innings and it seems he is getting even better. He is great for cricket. He is great for Australian cricket.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
Travis has played match winning innings in Tests against South Africa and England and in the World Championship Test final and ODI World Cup final, both against India. They are seminal standout performances. He does have difficulty changing gears from the shorter forms of the games to Tests. This is difficult to comprehend when you consider his ability. The highlights of this IPL innings were extraordinary.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
But he's a matchwinner and I'm not sure numbers do justice to a (Test) 5 or 6. He's played 2 of our 5 most notable inings this past year or so.
Ace
Roar Rookie
JJ he is so very frustrating ..as you say. IPL or T20 he comes out of his shell Tests..he can be like a first gamer at times. Nervous and edgy I'm not doing research but I imagine his last 20 test innings would highlight his unreliability
J Joseph
Roar Rookie
Travis Head can be unbelievably frustrating in Australia’s middle order, but he is also a potential match-winner in all three formats of the game. Quite an extraordinary player.