The Unplayable Podcast · Cricket Australia

Sydney D3: Head's s*** stat, peak Smith at fidgety best

·21 min·2 clips

Travis Head explains why he walks singles to get under England's skin and lift his teammates.

This episode of The Unplayable Podcast analyzes the third day of the Sydney Ashes Test, focusing on Australia's dominant batting performance. Hosts Josh and Lou, cricket journalists, dissect the key moments and tactics from the day's play at the SCG. They examine the contrasting centuries scored by Travis Head and Steve Smith, which extended Australia's lead to 134 runs. Travis Head added 72 runs to his overnight score, finishing with 163, and displayed his characteristic relaxed style by frequently walking singles. Head explained in a press conference that his walking, including a notable instance of walking backwards for a run, is partly to elicit a reaction and engage with team chemistry. The hosts question England's fielding tactics, suggesting they should have thrown at the stumps more often to force Head to exert himself, especially as he admitted to tiring after facing 166 balls. Head has scored 11 Test centuries, with seven exceeding 150, though he dismissed a question about converting these into double centuries as a "shit stat." Steve Smith scored his 13th Ashes century, moving past Sir Jack Hobbs for the second-most Ashes runs, and exhibited numerous idiosyncrasies throughout his innings. Smith repeatedly stopped play due to crowd movement, was distracted by a sign on the sightscreen and a woman carrying ice creams, and asked England fielder Brydon Carse to adjust his sunglasses to avoid a glare. A surprising moment occurred when Smith, after hitting a ball to a fielder, was heard on the stump mic criticizing his own shot as a "genuine throwdown." England's fielding was heavily criticized, with the first session described as their worst of the series, featuring four dropped catches, including one by Will Jacks off his own bowling when Head was on 121. England also wasted both of their reviews on appeals against Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon, leaving them with no reviews for day four. Fast bowler Matthew Potts endured a difficult day, finishing with figures of 0/141, which the hosts attributed to a loss of confidence and physical fatigue. The hosts also recount a story from Stuart Broad about a plan to "get Marnus Labuschagne out of his bubble," which succeeded when Ben Stokes dismissed him after a verbal exchange. The tone is conversational and analytical, blending on-the-ground reporting with tactical critique and anecdotal storytelling. Listeners who enjoy detailed cricket analysis, insights into player psychology, and candid post-day discussions will appreciate this episode. Those seeking only match highlights or formal commentary might find the critical assessment of England's performance too granular.

As heard by us

Head and Smith anchor a sharp SCG discussion about two very different hundreds.

The SCG belongs to Travis Head and Steve Smith, and the piece does the right thing by staying with the contrast between them. Head comes off as loose, talkative, and hard to pin down; Smith as the odd, methodical one whose game only seems to settle when the conditions do.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

If you want Head, Smith, and England's long day at the SCG, this is the one.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The Unplayable Podcast