Man of the Match cricket: The Australian batter was awarded the match award for scoring a game-changing century in Hobart.
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Hosts Australia have registered a comprehensive 146-run victory in the first-ever Ashes Test match in Hobart. Given their respective forms in this series, an Australian victory isn’t surprising by any means. However, not many had expected Australia to win the match on the third day itself.
Chasing a 271-run target, England were bundled out for 124 in 38.5 overs. In what had been the story of the tour for the visitors, England put on display another shambolic batting performance failing to make the most of a 68-run opening partnership between Rory Burns (26) and Zac Crawley (36).
Having lost 10 wickets for 56 runs to be dismissed before the 50-over mark for the second time in a Test match, England weren’t deserving enough to win their first Test in Australia in the last decade.
With bowling figures of 12-5-18-3, Australia fast bowler Scott Boland was the pick of the Australian bowlers on Day 3. Other than Boland, all-rounder Cameron Green and captain Pat Cummins also picked three wickets each.
Man of the Match cricket 5th Ashes Test
Having said that, individual performances by other players weren’t enough to prevent Australia batter Travis Head from winning his third ‘Man of the Match’ award in his 23rd Test.
Head, who scored a game-changing fourth Test century after walking in to bat at 12/3 after being put in to bat by England captain Joe Root on Day 1, turned the tables in real sense at the Bellerive Oval.
“Great to have an impact, I probably look at this [century] one as better [than third Test century in Brisbane]. With the conditions and the team position, pretty special,” Head told Fox Cricket during the post-match presentation ceremony. “I have worked on a lot of things over the last couple of years and did not take my opportunities earlier on in my career.”
