Cricket World Cup 2023: Head hundred propels Australia to mammoth 388 against New Zealand

A fit-again Travis Head smashed a rapid hundred in his first match of the cricket World Cup to propel Australia to a commanding 388 all out against New Zealand at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium on Saturday.

Head missed Australia's first five matches in the tournament because of a fractured hand and he returned to forge a breakneck 175-run opening stand with David Warner after New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to field.

Head raced to a 59-ball hundred and smacked seven sixes and 10 fours in his 109 off 67 balls, while Warner's belligerent 81 followed back-to-back hundreds in his last two outings.

New Zealand's part-time spinner Glenn Phillips (3-37) stemmed the boundary flow by removing both the openers.

Glenn Maxwell (41), Josh Inglis (38) and skipper Pat Cummins (37) provided breezy cameos down the order before Australia were all out in 49.2 overs losing their last four wickets in eight balls.

New Zealand are currently third in the points table, above Australia, after four wins in five matches.

New Zealand need 389 to win in 50 overs