HEAD OK STARRING FOR POOR CROWD
TRAVIS Head conceded it was hard not to notice the recordlow MCG crowd that witnessed him produce his highest-ever one-day score for Australia but said it was of little consequence.
The left-hander revealed he was “touch and go” just to play after illness and a pre-game back spasm almost prevented him from making a massive 152 in his team’s walloping of England.
Only 10,406 fans, the lowest attendance for an ODI at the MCG, were on hand and Head said he and his teammates “weren’t surprised” given the dead-rubber nature of the contest, the scheduling and the weather.
But Head’s need to make every post a winner after his reinclusion in the side, given first opportunity to nail down the opening spot left vacant by Aaron Finch’s retirement, meant that the crowd’s size was irrelevant.
“I’m in a position where I’m fortunate to be back in the team, so I am buzzing for it no matter who rocks up,” Head said after Australia’s 221-run win to close out a 3-0 series win.
“You‘re playing for Australia, so I guess, I noticed it (the crowd) but again, when the ball is coming down, you are trying to hit it, you don’t notice if it’s 10,000 or 100,000.
“I guess we weren‘t surprised. With where the series was at … it’s a Tuesday afternoon, the weather hasn’t been great.”
Head’s innings could and should be enough to secure him the opening spot 12 months out from the World Cup.
But it nearly didn’t happen. Not only was the South Australian ill pre-game, and unable to eat, he also hurt his back in the warm-up and needed to pass a fitness test just to play.
“I was touch and go,” he said. “But I was lucky we got two hours before the game, so it sort of sorted itself out.”