How Travis Head’s birthday celebrations could have hit Australia line-up for six ahead of Sydney Test

A trip to a brewery on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula to celebrate an incredible Ashes victory and Travis Head’s birthday could have thrown half the Australian batting line-up out of the Sydney Test.

Peter Lalor

@plalor

2 min read

January 1, 2022 - 9:31AM

Travis Head has been ruled out of the Sydney Test. Fortunately he is the only Australian player to suffer that fate so far. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

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As it is, Head is out of the game with Covid-19 and opening batter Marcus Harris was unable to fly to Sydney with the others because he had dinner with the birthday boy. Harris returned a second negative test late on Friday is expected to make his way to Sydney to join the squad.

But Omicron continues to cut a swath through the game.

Seven members of the England camp are positive and coach Chris Silverwood has had to remain in Victoria for the fourth Test because he was ruled a close contact.

Match referee David Boon, who shares a birthday with Head, has also been ruled out of the SCG Test after testing positive.

The BBL continued with matches on New Year’s Eve despite four positives in the Sydney Thunder camp. But there are greater concerns about the viability of the Melbourne Stars, which have 15 positive cases.

Usman Khawaja is expected to come into the side for Travis Head. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

England has been lucky so far that none of its players are infected, but management is considering using imported England players as cover should there be more positives.

Australia drafted Mitch Marsh, Josh Inglis and Nic Maddinson to the squad on Friday and will be able to use them in the event others are ruled out.

At this stage Usman Khawaja is expected to cover for Head who has been officially ruled out of the Test.

Not all the players attended the drinks at the St Andrews Beach brewery on Wednesday for Head’s birthday.

The group sat outside and only a few members shared the large bus provided as transport to the elegant property near Rye. Harris was kept behind out of caution, according to management, because he had shared dinner with Head that night.

But the subsequent tests have cleared him to play.

Skipper Pat Cummins was withdrawn from the Adelaide Test after being ruled a close contact. Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc were lucky not to suffer the same fate.

Marcus Harris has been cleared to play.

The SCG plans to operate at capacity and state government rules mean patrons will not have to wear masks in the city that reported more than 20,000 positives on New Year’s Eve.

The Australian broke the news on Friday morning, which was later confirmed by Cricket Australia, that a batter had tested positive.

“Head is asymptomatic and will remain in Melbourne and isolate with his partner for seven days in line with Victorian Government Health requirements,” a statement said.

“He will be unavailable for selection for the fourth Vodafone men’s Ashes Test, starting at the SCG on January 5. The remainder of the Australian squad, their families and the support staff have undergone PCR and RAT tests this morning.

“Both the Australian and England squads are expected to separately travel to Sydney as planned today.”

The Australians arrived in Sydney on Friday evening.