Head, Smith earn praise as Australian media revel in Ashes win

Travis Head’s swashbuckling batting and the decision making of stand-in captain Steve Smith were hailed as the keys to Australia’s Ashes victory over England as the nation’s media revelled in their 4-1 series win.

A five-wicket victory in the fifth Test in Sydney on Thursday capped yet another comfortable home series win for the Australians, who maintained their grip on the urn for another 18 months at least.

Fast bowler Mitchell Starc was named Player of the Series but ABC’s Dean Bilton felt Head’s performances were pivotal to his team’s summer of success.

“It was the series in which he grew out of his cult hero status and fully became Australia’s best and most important batter,” Bilton wrote on the national broadcaster’s website.

“That he did it as an impromptu opener just adds to the legend.”

The series had kicked off with a win inside two days in Perth for the hosts, and Daniel Brettig said in the Sydney Morning Herald that the opening victory, featuring a second-innings haul of 123 by Head, set the tone.

“It was a dizzying series in many ways, comprising some moments of champagne cricket but many more of poor stuff that spoke to England’s ramshackle preparation for the task and Australia’s numerous vulnerabilities,” wrote Brettig.

“Like so many recent series in Australia, the opening round of the bout proved to be definitive.

“At lunch on day two in Perth, England appeared to be set fair for an opening victory that would at least give them a chance, like India last summer, of making this series a contest until its final match.

“But so awful was the subsequent batting collapse, and so outrageous Travis Head’s fourth-innings chase after making the impromptu decision to open the innings, that England contrived to lose that first Test within four hours of sitting pretty.”

Head will skip the Big Bash League (BBL) for a third straight season to rest and prepare for next month’s Twenty20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, Cricket ⁠Australia (CA) said on Friday.

Cameron Green will also be absent from the BBL after playing three Tests against England. The all-rounder, who does not have a BBL contract, is working to return to full fitness ahead of the World Cup after undergoing major back surgery in late 2024.

The board did not elaborate on World Cup squad members Pat Cummins (back) and Josh Hazlewood (hamstring) but the recovering pace duo are unlikely to be risked ahead of the global showpiece.

“A five-Test match Ashes series was intense,” CA general manager, national teams, Ben Oliver said.

“We have worked with each player on individual plans to best support recovery from the Ashes and preparation for upcoming international commitments including the ICC T20 World Cup.

“Wherever possible, this includes players representing their clubs in the ongoing BBL season over the coming fortnight.”

Australia will begin their bid for a second T20 World Cup in a Group B match against Ireland in Colombo on February 11.

England’s players and management are undergoing a performance review following the 4-1 Ashes series defeat in Australia, with England Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould vowing to ‘implement the necessary changes’ over coming months.

Gould issued a statement after England’s five-wicket loss in the fifth Test Thursday, highlighting disappointment in the campaign after the squad traveled to Australia with high expectations of ending a long drought Down Under.

Agencies