Head marks return from broken hand with scintillating century

No wonder there were no doubts he was going to slot right back as the opener. Travis Head came back from the broken hand that kept him out for the first five matches of this World Cup with a roaring century off just 59 balls, the third-quickest World Cup hundred for Australia. Along the way he brought up the second-quickest half-century for an Australia batter in World Cups, taking just 25 balls to get there in the clash against New Zealand in Dharamsala

Head, who had broken his left hand while trying to pull Gerald Coetzee during the ODI series against South Africa just before the World Cup, was predictable tested with the short ball early, but he hardly looked in any trouble on World Cup debut.

Head nearly made it for the last match, but at the last moment, Australia chose to give him three more days. On the eve of the match, Head only batted 20 minutes in the nets, and didn't look in great touch, regularly missing the middle of the bat. In the match, though, he hardly mis-hit anything.

Head announced his intentions with an aerial off-drive for four off the third ball he faced. Then Matt Henry gifted him two free-hits in the third over, both of which he cleared the front leg and pulled over midwicket for sixes. New Zealand tried to take away his arms with straighter lines, but Head kept taking runs through midwicket, his most productive zone.

With David Warner almost matching him shot for shot - only the second time two openers have scored fifties inside 30 balls - Australia notched the third-highest 10-over score in ODIs where ball-by-ball data is available. While Warner did slow down just a touch, Head's intent didn't change even in the middle overs. He didn't let Mitchell Santner, second-highest wicket-taker this World Cup, settle into his work at all, taking a four and a six in his first two overs.

Warner missed out on a century as he hit a return catch to Glenn Phillips, but Head kept up with his intent. He finally fell for 109 off 67, bowled off a straighter one from Phillips, having hit seven sixes and 10 fours, and having set Australia on their way to a massive total.