Rapid Head enters record books with breathtaking ton

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.

Vodafone Men's Ashes

Squads

Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith (vc), Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

England: Joe Root (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Schedule

First Test: December 8-12, The Gabba

Second Test: December 16-20, Adelaide Oval

Third Test: December 26-30, MCG

Fourth Test: January 5-9, SCG

Fifth Test: January 14-18, TBC