Australia vs England, 5th Test – Ashes 2026
Travis Head continued his breathtaking run in the ongoing Ashes series, delivering yet another masterclass with the bat in the fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Tuesday.
The left-hander looked completely unstoppable as he raced to his third century of the series on Day 3, dismantling the England bowling attack and etching his name deep into Ashes history.
🔥 Third Century in Five Tests for Travis Head
Head wasted no time in reaching three figures, showcasing his trademark aggressive stroke play. This was his third hundred in the five-match series, achieved in just eight innings, underlining his dominance throughout the contest.
With this knock, Head matched Matthew Hayden’s record of scoring three centuries in a single Ashes series, a feat achieved by very few Australian batters.
🏟️ Seven Centuries at Seven Different Venues in Australia
During his explosive innings, Head also joined an elite Australian club by scoring Test centuries at seven different venues in Australia.
🏅 Test Hundreds at Most Different Venues in Australia
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7 – Steve Waugh
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7 – Matthew Hayden
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7 – Justin Langer
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7 – David Warner
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7 – Travis Head
This milestone places Head alongside some of Australia’s greatest-ever Test batters.
⚡ Faster Than Bradman: Head Rewrites Ashes Record Books
The 32-year-old also surpassed a 96-year-old record held by Sir Don Bradman. Head registered the joint fourth-fastest 150 in Ashes history, reaching the mark in 163 balls, faster than Bradman’s 166-ball effort at Lord’s in 1930.
Remarkably, Head is the only batter to appear twice on the list of fastest Ashes 150s.
⚡ Fastest 150s in Ashes History (Balls Faced)
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129 – Joe Darling, Sydney, 1898
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141 – Adam Gilchrist, Edgbaston, 2001
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143 – Travis Head, Brisbane, 2021
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152 – Zak Crawley, Old Trafford, 2023
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163 – Travis Head, Sydney, 2026*
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166 – Don Bradman, Lord’s, 1930
📊 Match Impact: Head Powers Australia Past 300
Head eventually fell for a scintillating 163 off 166 balls, smashing 24 fours and one six. He was dismissed by Jacob Bethell in the 68th over, but not before pushing Australia comfortably beyond the 300-run mark in their first innings.
🏆 Elite Company: 500+ Runs in an Ashes Series
With this knock, Head also became only the second Australian batter since 2000, after David Warner, to score 500 or more runs in a single Ashes series, underlining his consistency and match-winning influence.
🧢 Playing XIs – AUS vs ENG, 5th Ashes Test
🇦🇺 Australia
Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (C), Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey (WK), Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland
🏴 England
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Josh Tongue
📝 Conclusion
Travis Head’s extraordinary Ashes campaign has now entered legendary territory. With three centuries, record-breaking speed, and 500-plus runs, he has been the defining batter of the series and a nightmare for England’s bowlers.
As the Ashes reaches its conclusion, one thing is clear — this series will forever belong to Travis Head.
