TRAVIS Head hit the third fastest century in Ashes history as Australia built a commanding first-innings lead over England on day two of the first Test in Brisbane.

The left-hander came in in the midst of an England fightback that saw the tourists take four quick wickets either side of tea which reduced the hosts to 195-5, and counter-attacked brilliantly to bring up his third Test ton from 85 balls and reaffirm his side’s position of strength.

David Warner (94) had earlier fallen just short of a hundred after a second-wicket stand of 156 with Marnus Labuschagne (74) having made the most of some good fortune that saw him bowled off a no-ball by Ben Stokes on 17 and dropped in the slips on 48 off Ollie Robinson (3-48).

After the expensive Jack Leach got Labuschagne, Mark Wood removed Steve Smith (12) cheaply and two wickets in two balls from Robinson gave England hope of limiting the deficit before Head’s intervention.

Australia closed on 343-7, a lead of 196, with Head 112 n.o..from 95 balls, while England’s gloom was added to with Stokes and Robinson appearing to sustain knocks, and the latter unable to take the second new ball.

After the disappointment of being rolled for 147 on day one, England made a strong start to the second morning with Robinson quickly making his mark in his maiden Ashes Test as he removed Marcus Harris (3) in the sixth over, a fraction of seam movement enough to take the edge and Dawid Malan held on at third slip.

The England seamers continued to push throughout the morning and thought they had Warner when Stokes got one past his defences to hit middle stump, only for the third umpire to call him for a front-foot no-ball.

Stokes’ first four balls should have been called for no-balls but with the no-ball technology not working, the all-rounder was unaware and unable to adjust until after it had cost him the wicket of Warner.

Warner also survived a run-out chance as Haseeb Hameed missed the stumps from close range at short leg and Australia were into the lead by the time Leach, having been thumped for six the ball before, had Labuschagne caught at backward point.

Smith came out at No. 4 and, after a frenetic start, just appeared to be settling in when Wood found his outside edge in the penultimate over of the session to claim a well-deserved first wicket of the innings.

Two overs after tea, England were right back in the contest. Robinson ousted Warner with a ball that held in the surface a touch and was chipped to Stokes in the covers, and then produced a beautiful nip-backer next ball to peg back Cameron Green’s off stump as the all-rounder shouldered arms.

Chris Woakes had Carey (12) caught at mid-wicket on the pull but Head was going strong, bringing up his half-century from 51 balls and dishing out more punishment to Leach.

Head seemed determined to reach three figures before the second new ball and, while he missed out on that target, it took him just two balls of the new cherry to get there with a fine on-drive for four off Woakes.

(Sky Sports)

ENGLAND 1st innings
Rory Burns b Mitchell Starc 0
Haseeb Hameed c Steven Smith b Pat Cummins 25
Dawid Malan c Alex Carey b Josh Hazlewood 6
Joe Root c David Warner b Josh Hazlewood 0
Ben Stokes c Marnus Labuschagne b Pat Cummins 5
Ollie Pope c Josh Hazlewood b Cameron Green 35
Jos Buttler c Alex Carey b Mitchell Starc 39
Chris Woakes c Josh Hazlewood b Pat Cummins 21
Ollie Robinson c Alex Carey b Pat Cummins 0
Mark Wood c Marcus Harris b Pat Cummins 8
Jack Leach not out 2
Extras: (lb-5, w-1) 6
Total: (all out, 50.1 overs) 147
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-11, 3-11, 4-29 s, 5-60, 6-112, 7-118, 8-122, 9-144.
Bowling: Mitchell Starc 12-2–35-2, Josh Hazlewood 13-4-42-2, Pat Cummins 13.1-3-38-5 (w-1), Nathan Lyon 9-2-21-0, Cameron Green 3-1-6-1.

AUSTRALIA 1st innings
David Warner c Ben Stokes b Ollie Robinson 94
Marcus Harris c Dawid Malan b Ollie Robinson 3
Marnus Labuschagne c Mark Wood b Jack Leach 74
Steven Smith c Jos Buttler b Mark Wood 12
Travis Head not out 112
Cameron Green b Ollie Robinson 0
Alex Carey c Ollie Pope b Chris Woakes 12
Pat Cummins c Haseeb Hameed b Joe Root 12
Mitchell Starc not out 10
Extras: (b-4, lb-4, nb-4, w-2) 14
Total; (seven wkts, 84.0 overs) 343
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-166, 3-189, 4-195, 5-195, 6-236, 7-306.
Bowling: Chris Woakes 20-7-56-1, Ollie Robinson 18-8-48-3, Mark Wood 20-4-57-1 (w-1, nb)-2), Ben Stokes 9-0-50-0 (w-1, nb-3), Jack Leach 11-0-95-1, Joe Root 6-0-29-1.