The pacer’s frustration on dismissing the thorn in India’s flesh (140 off 141 balls) and crowd response added spice on Day 2
Adelaide: It had seemed like the match had slipped out of India’s grasp and Mohammed Siraj had just been hit for six over deep square leg by Travis Head. Emotions were running high and when the pacer bowled the left-hander off the next ball, he gave him the big send-off.
Mohammed Siraj, right, gestures at Travis Head after his dismissal on Day 2 of the second Test, in Adelaide on Saturday. (AP)
That is when the crowd got involved. They started booing Siraj — every time the ball went to him, then they booed him on the boundary line and finally when he was running in to bowl. Adelaide is Head’s home ground and the crowd was having none of it.
“I actually just said, ‘well bowled’ and then he pointed me in the sheds,” said Head, who hit a 141-ball 140. “I had my reaction as well, but I don’t want to give it too much air time. I feel like the way I play the game, I would like a better reaction. I was surprised at the reaction in terms of the situation of the game and the lead up, and there was no confrontation leading up to it, and I felt like it was probably a little bit far at the time, and that’s why I’m disappointed in the reaction that I gave back, but I’m also going to stand up for myself.”
Part of Siraj’s reaction may have also stemmed from the fact that he had dropped Head on 76. India bowling coach Morne Morkel felt the reaction was very much in the heat of the moment.
“That is the character that he brings to the bowling unit,” Morkel said. “He’ll always run in all day, no matter what the scoreboard says. And I think in a big series like that, you’re always going to have moments like this where, when it’s a sort of, I wouldn’t say make or break sort of situation, but when a session or the game is potentially, sort of, on the line, we’ll have moments like that.”
“They’re two cricketers that play the game hard, they play the game tough, but I’m pretty sure, you know, after the game they’ll be the best of mates.”
More than angry, Head was just surprised by the reaction.
“I’d like to think (of) our team that we wouldn’t do that,” said Head. “That’s not how I’d like to play the game, and I feel like my teammates the same, and if I’d seen that in that circumstances, I’d probably call it out, which I did.”
The teams have, in general, been on polite terms. Many of the players know each other well because of IPL and it has all seemed rather civil so far.
“The relationship’s really, really good,” said Head. “And that’s why I’m disappointed with the couple of reactions I’ve got when I’ve been dismissed. That’s all. I feel like the game’s moved.
“And the way I play the game, I’m out here to have a good time. I want to enjoy myself. I want to play hard, play fair. And I have a joke with the fielders in the field. I’m always interacting. And it’s been on very civil terms and enjoyable.”
It shouldn’t change things too much but at a certain point Siraj could become a target for the crowd, and of that he must be careful.
“I know that we’re competing hard, but I can have a laugh at the same time,” Head explained. “And then to get the reaction that I did off the back of that, I’d almost rather it the other way. I’d rather them try and tear shreds off me and then give it to me.”
