This was published 4 years ago
Thanks for joining today.
There’ll be no shortage of news and analysis from our reporters appearing on the mastheads shortly.
Travis Head was sensational, David Warner showed how dangerous he is on home soil and Marnus Labuschagne continued his fine record at the Gabba.
We’ll be back tomorrow for more Test action. See you then, hope you enjoyed. Cheers.
Umpires flick the bails to end a long day of Test cricket.
Australia are in the box seat, finishing the day on 7-343 and with a lead of 196. They managed 150 runs in the final session.
Play of the day was undoubtedly the century from Travis Head, who walks off the Gabba with 112 runs from 95 balls.
David Warner was brilliant earlier in the day, as was Marnus Labuschagne.
Mark Wood has just dished up one of the nastiest beamers you’ll ever see.
The ball doesn’t bounce and flies flat at Head, who tries to duck out of the way but is smashed on the glove and then on the chin.
He gets up pretty quickly and doesn’t seem too hurt, all things considered. Unsurprisingly, it’s a no ball.
Wood apologises to Head and the game continues. If he bowls one more, he’ll be out of the attack for the remainder of the innings.
Next ball is on a length.
Australia 7-332, lead of 185 runs
What a brilliant knock from Travis Head, the South Australian who won the race for the No.5 spot in the Australian order over Usman Khawaja.
His century comes off 85 balls with a crisp on-drive for four. What a counter-attack this has been from Head.
It’s the 27-year-old’s third Test hundred after scores of 161 against Sri Lanka in 2019 and 114 against New Zealand in the same year.
He has well and truly regained momentum for Australia in this Test.
Australia 7-325
Head hits a lovely cover drive for a couple of runs into the deep. He’s on 93.
The commentators are debating whether Australia should declare if Head gets a hundred. Thoughts?
Side note: today’s crowd at the Gabba was 20,812.
Joe Root claims the wicket of the Australian captain with a fairly innocuous ball from around the wicket that Cummins glances to a catcher around the corner on the leg side.
Starc is the new man to the crease, joining Head who is motoring along nicely on 86 from 72 balls.
Australia 7-30
England’s lead spinner has gone for 95 runs from 10 overs today. Hard to see him coming back from this.
Australia have clearly decided to attack Leach at all costs and it’s paid dividends, aside from the dismissal of Labuschagne who clearly tried to hit his cut shot too hard.
Leach has been hit for five sixes and seven fours. Australia’s batsmen have used their feet him beautifully.
And there’s a five in there. Head pinches a quick single but there’s four overthrows. Things are falling apart.
We’ve got an hour of play left. 26 more overs are supposed to be bowled but we won’t get through those.
Quite a slow over rate. England could take the new ball in eight overs.
Head is going to another gear here. He hits back-to-back boundaries to the leg-side of Leach, who has leaked 80 runs from 10 overs. today. It’s simply not good enough.
After copping a nasty blow to the elbow, Head has played some nice shots. He moves to 51- at a run a ball - as Australia make their way to 6-261 (lead of 114 runs).
Here are Head’s top Test scores for those playing along at home: