LIVE: 'Fantastic' innings draws huge Gilchrist call

Travis Head's show with the bat against South Africa astatine the Gabba gave beardown Adam Gilchrist vibes.

Strolling to the crease with Australia 3-27, Head scored conscionable 2 runs from his archetypal 16 deliveries.

And past helium chopped loose.

Head blasted 55 from his adjacent 35 balls. He brought up his half-century disconnected conscionable 48 balls.

"Wow, he's astir mounting the inclination for the Big Bash that's happening afterwards," South African accelerated bowling large Shaun Pollock said successful commentary for Fox Sports.

"His timing has been conscionable fantastic. That's the people of a large subordinate - overmuch similar Gilly utilized to bash successful his day.

"When helium archetypal came to the crease, those archetypal 16 balls helium had to sorb and present helium realises, 'Hang on, I tin instrumentality this crippled by the scruff of the cervix and enactment South Africa nether immense pressure'."

Down the different end, Steve Smith was besides scoring comparatively freely - the brace combining for a 117-run concern for the 4th wicket to excavation the Aussies retired of occupation earlier Anrich Nortje bowled Smith for 36.

Pat Cummins sent chap accelerated bowler Scott Boland successful arsenic night-watchman, but helium lasted conscionable 4 balls earlier Kagiso Rabada had him caught down for 1. His wicket ended the day's play.

Head said Sunday's greeting league would beryllium a important 2 hours for the Test.

"It was an entertaining day's cricket - disappointing to suffer the 2 astatine the extremity there, but yea we fought hard," helium said.

"It was a hard wicket - I deliberation we'll instrumentality that astatine the extremity of the day, but we've gotta travel retired and person a bully mates of hours successful the morning."

He said the South African onslaught bowled "extremely well".

"We had to beryllium arsenic affirmative arsenic we could be, and again it (will be) a precise important morning."

Australia volition resume this greeting astatine 5-145, inactive trailing South Africa by 7 runs.