Australian batsman Travis Head has shrugged off the sledging he received from the English team during the thrilling Ashes opener at Edgbaston and issued a warning to England seamer Ollie Robinson. Australia secured a nail-biting two-wicket victory to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, but some members of the English squad seem undeterred by the defeat, fueling anticipation for the upcoming Tests.
Robinson, who faced criticism from Australian cricket legends Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting for his expletive-laden farewell to Usman Khawaja at Edgbaston, expressed surprise at Australia's perceived defensive approach. He suggested that the visitors must change their style to emerge victorious in the ongoing series. Additionally, England opener Zak Crawley recently predicted a comprehensive 150-run victory for the hosts in the upcoming second Test at Lord's.
In response, Head laughed off the comments and banter from the English team, emphasizing that Australia remains focused on their own game plan and the objective of securing a 2-0 lead in the series. Speaking to 9News Sydney, Head said, "We're only going for the lunch, apparently. Yeah, they have got this mantra they're going at. Not just on the field but off the field they are throwing some nice chat out, but this team is truly just worried about what we need to do to win the second Test and put some pressure on them."
Head also shared his enjoyment of the verbal battle he engaged in with Robinson during the first Ashes Test, suggesting that the England seamer will need to improve his performance if he hopes to maintain his place in the team led by Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes. "I find it pretty fun. I had a few quiet words, jovial words, to him out there. It all makes for good fun and we'll see where the next four Tests go. It didn't go his way in the first one, but he's very competitive, and he will want to step up. But if he doesn't, I think they have got a few people at home that might want to get up his back," Head remarked.
Ahead of the second Test at Lord's, Head joined his Australian teammates for training on Sunday, gearing up for the highly anticipated match commencing on Wednesday. As the Ashes rivalry intensifies, both teams will be eager to seize the momentum and gain an advantage in the series.