Redback gets back to his roots
Redback batsman Travis Head went back to his roots – and his mates – to prepare for today’s Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania.
Because his SACA grade club Tea Tree Gully had a bye, Head donned the creams for his first club, the South Gawler Lions.
He played alongside childhood friends in a one-day match against Gilbert Valley at Eldred Riggs Reserve.
He played on a hard wicket, using a two-piece Kookaburra ball.
It was unusual preparation for an elite player ahead of today’s Shield match in Hobart – the first match for South Australia since the freak accident which took the life of Redbacks’ opener Phillip Hughes at the SCG in November.
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“It has been a pretty tough couple of weeks,” Head said.
Redbacks coaching staff have a high opinion of the diminutive left-hander who was captain of the under 19s state victory in 2011-12 and also wore an Australian cap at that level.
“Travis doesn’t over-complicate things,” said Redbacks batting coach and former State cricketer Jeff Vaughan.
“Like a lot of left-handers, he doesn’t have an over reliance on technique.
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“Having a clear and focused mind when you walk to the batting crease is one of his strengths.
“Collecting 11 half centuries before his 21st birthday shows his capacity as a batsman at first-class level.
“Now we’d like him is to convert these 50’s into hundreds.”
As is often the way, despite Head’s appearance, South Gawler was defeated by 18 runs.
Former SANFL footballer and change bowler for Gilbert Valley, Justin Shahinger, claimed bragging rights, having the first class cricketer well caught at backward square leg by Matt Norman, after he had scored seven.
Head is the the third talented left-hander to come out of the township of Gawler in the last quarter of a century, following in the footsteps of Mark Cosgrove and Darren Lehmann.
Naturally Gawler Central favourite son and current national coach Darren Lehmann is in town for the Test starting today.
Cosgrove peeled off a brilliant 109 against West Torrens on Saturday, smashing 13 boundaries and four sixes.
The Jets total of 362 wasn’t enough, as the Eagles chased that score down at Henley Grange Memorial Oval on Sunday.
Head and Cosgrove also have a connection with test quick Ryan Harris, as they are all alumni of Trinity College in Gawler.
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