WATCH, AUS vs WI | Local boy Travis Head educates curious West Indians about Adelaide culture and weather enroute flamboyant century

12/08/2022

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Australia and West Indies might have a history of brutal sledging, but times have changed, and come 2022 the players are as respectful towards each other as can be. The fact was epitomized by an on-field conversation where Travis Head took out time to inform the Windies about life in Adelaide.

Australia repeated the script from the first Test match in Adelaide on Thursday as they once again put up a big score on day one of the second encounter against the West Indies. After stand-in skipper Steve Smith won the toss and chose to bat first, David Warner fell early following a few resplendent strokes, allowing the duo of Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne to establish another big partnership. The pair put up 95 runs before the former departed for a solid 62, and the Caribbeans got a glimpse of advantage when they snared Steve Smith for a rare duck.

However, Travis Head's ensuing counterattack ensured the islanders remained on the backfoot while Marnus on the other end kept piling on the runs as well, registering his third straight century in three . Head, hailing from South Australia and playing in his home ground, was exquisite in his shot-making, delighting local fans with a batting masterclass. The 28-year-old displayed immense composure throughout his innings and even had the time to help his opposition learn about the city in a hilarious incident that occurred between the 72nd and 73rd overs.

Batting in the mid-60s, Head was waiting in his crease to face spinner Roston Chase with Joshua da Silva keeping the wickets behind him, accompanied by a lone slip in the form of skipper Kraigg Brathwaite. As the trio got ready for the action, Brathwaite politely enquired about the city and whether it was this way at night as well. Head, quick to upsell his city, informed the veteran that the crowd was much bigger on weekends and that they always showed up in big numbers to make up a great atmosphere on Saturdays and Sundays.

However, the batter seemed to have misunderstood the question, given that Brathwaite was most likely asking about the weather as he was visibly cold wearing multiple layers and both his hands tucked inside his pockets. To iron out things, the keeper intervened by asking if it would be cold as well, to which Head responded in affirmation while mentioning it does get hot in the day. de Silva seemed to emphasize the weather by relaying to Brathwaite it was 'always cold', capping off a hilarious bit of interaction between the three cricketers.