Head goes from 'touch and go' to Midas touch

Touch and go to play and a borderline non-factor for the first 147.5 overs of a Test that lasted only 153.3 overs, Travis Head ended up as the unlikeliest of heroes from Australia's dominant 10-wicket win in Galle.

A part-time bowler whose off-breaks had not been sufficiently potent to claim a single wicket in his first 228 deliveries in Test cricket, Head cracked open Sri Lanka's middle and lower-order with four wickets in 17 balls to fire the Aussies to one of their fastest victories in their Test history.

It will now surely rank among the most memorable spells by a non-frontline Australian bowler.

The 28-year-old, whose previous best bowling in first-class matches had been a spell of 3-42 for South Australia seven years ago, believes his considerable difference in style to star off-spinner Nathan Lyon was behind his circuit-breaking effort.

"Myself and 'Gaz' (Lyon) are very different, coming down at different angles and lines," said Head after finishing with the enviable figures of 4-10 from 2.5 overs.

"I just think with my consistency I'm going to get balls that go straight. I'm not as consistent in my wrist or action as Gaz is.

"It was nice to get it in the area, and I think you’ve got to let the wicket do a lot of the work.

"I didn't feature much with the bat. To not give up the opportunity to have a bowl and waste anything and get into my work straight away (was pleasing)."

Head had eked out just six runs from 16 balls in the first innings before closing the face of his bat on the off-spin of Dhananjaya de Silva, to be caught and bowled in the second over of day two.

That came after his spot had come under question given the hamstring strain he suffered during the recent ODI series, with Glenn Maxwell retained from the limited-overs matches to replace him if he did not regain fitness.

But, given a chance to bowl in Sri Lanka's second innings even before skipper Pat Cummins used himself, Head needed just two balls to strike.

The right-armer ripped a massive turner through a lunging Dinesh Chandimal and onto his middle and leg stumps – the kind of delivery off-spinners dream of – before setting off in delighted celebration.

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"The first wicket – the first ball (he bowled) didn't spin as much as the second," explained Head, adding that both Lyon and assistant coach Dan Vettori have mentored him on his bowling. "You get the batters in a false sense of (security).

"Especially the left handers, there's been talk about that so much about the straight ball doing much of the damage with the new ball.

"The way it comes out of my hand and the axis of the ball is a lot different to Nathan and probably makes the next one feel like it spins more."

Head had been put through a series of rigorous fitness tests in the lead-in to the match but was desperate to play and insisted he will be available for next week's second Test.

"I was very confident," said the batter. "I haven’t missed any cricket really, (last week's) one-dayer was the first once I've missed (through injury) in my career.

"It was tough to take. It was touch and go – I had to tick all the boxes leading up to the Test.

"They worked me pretty hard. I was very keen to get over the line. As we got closer to the Test it became more and more touch and go.

"The staff were very clear in the path that we were going to take and what we were going to do … I stayed relaxed and backed the staff and we were able to get there.

"I was 100 per cent. If I woke up lame the morning of the Test or it if felt different, I wasn’t going to play.

"It’s a little bit different playing cricket for Australia, there is nowhere to hide … through Test matches. (But) there’ll be no concerns or worries going into the next Test."

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Test squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya, Jeffrey Vandersay. Standby players: Dunith Wellalage, Lakshitha Rasanjana.

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner. Standby players: Jon Holland, Matthew Kuhnemann, Todd Murphy

June 29 - July 3: Australia won by 10 wickets

July 8-12: Second Test, Galle, 2.30pm AEST

Sri Lanka v Australia Test matches will be screened live on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports