TRAVIS Head has posted the third-fastest century in men’s Ashes history with a remarkable counter-attacking effort late on day two of the first Vodafone Ashes Test in Brisbane.

Playing his first Test in almost a year after being axed against India last summer, Head prodded and poked early on in his innings, enduring a testing spell from Ollie Robinson as England captain Joe Root fielded five slips.

But the edges and the caution soon made way for flat-out aggression, as the left-hander took Ben Stokes, bowling under an injury cloud, for three boundaries from a single over.

From that point on, there was no looking back. Head appeared intent on playing his natural game and motored to his half-century at a run a ball, and then only accelerated from there, lofting spinners Jack Leach and Root for sixes and slashing and pulling the quicks with apparent ease.

On 96, he looked to sweep and the ball lobbed up off the forearm, falling safely not far from wicketkeeper Jos Buttler, and an over later he drove Chris Woakes beautifully down the ground to reach his hundred from just 85 balls.

Given England had taken two quick wickets to leave Australia wobbling a little at 5-195, it was as important an innings as it was spectacular, as the 27-year-old took the hosts’ score past 300 and the lead beyond 180.

Only Adam Gilchrist (57 balls at the WACA in 2006) and Gilbert Jessop (74 balls at The Oval in 1902) have hit faster hundreds in Tests between Australia and England.

(Cricket.com.au)