Four years ago, Travis Head's performances against England laid the foundations for Bazball and now he has thumped the same opponents across Australia

The comment about “beggars can't be choosers” was in reference to Head’s current role as an opener. Opening the batting in Test cricket is widely regarded as one of the most challenging positions, often involving difficult batting conditions and frequent low scores.

Travis Head brushed aside the statistic with humour, insisting he would happily take big match-defining hundreds over worrying about personal milestones.

Travis Head has played 65 Test matches for Australia and has scored 4563 runs. Head has also scored 12 hundreds in his Test career so far

Australian opener Travis Head entertained the Sydney crowd on Tuesday with a blistering run-a-ball 163 — and did not stop there. He followed it up in the press room, armed with punchlines that left journalists in splits. After registering his third century of the Ashes series, the left-hander was a complete package, both on and off the field.

The runs flowed well for Australia on Day Three at the SCG with interim captain Steve Smith and opener Travis Head picking up handy tons, while England’s day was filled with dropped catches and fatigue-filled bowling.

The England star is now level with former Australia captain Ricky Ponting on the all-time list of test centurymakers. Only Sachin Tendulker (51) and Jacques Kallis (45) have more.

Watch the best shots of Travis Head's first innings as the Australian batter hits 163 off 166 balls, his third score of 100 or higher in the series, to put his side in control of the fifth and final Ashes Test in Sydney.