‘Head of the seven kingdoms’: Travis Head gets his own Game of Thrones-style Iron Throne made of cricket bats
Travis Head gets his own Iron Throne as cricket bats replace swords
There is a new ruler in the seven kingdoms and this one doesn’t need dragons or an army to claim his throne.
Australian batter Travis Head was given the royal treatment in a promotional post shared by Australian swimwear brand Budgy Smuggler, which presented its own cricket-themed version of the iconic Iron Throne from Game of Thrones.
The 32-year-old was pictured sitting comfortably on a throne surrounded by dozens of Gray-Nicolls cricket bats and posted on Instagram with the caption: ‘Head of the seven kingdoms’.
Unlike the rulers of Westeros, Head’s throne doesn’t appear to have been forged from the weapons of defeated enemies. Instead, cricket bats have replaced swords, giving the Australian a rather unusual seat of power.
What is the story behind the Iron Throne in Game of Thrones?
The original Iron Throne has a rather bloody history in the world of Game of Thrones.
Long before the events of the television series, Aegon I Targaryen, better known as Aegon the Conqueror, embarked on a campaign to bring the rival kingdoms of Westeros under one ruler.
Armed with three dragons, including the fearsome Balerion the Black Dread, Aegon defeated rival rulers and brought six of the Seven Kingdoms under his control. Dorne, the seventh kingdom, remained unconquered during his lifetime.
Following his victories, Aegon ordered the swords of his defeated enemies to be collected and fashioned into a throne. According to the legends of Westeros, Balerion’s dragonfire was used to melt the weapons, while armourers spent 59 days hammering the swords into the imposing structure.
The result was the Iron Throne, a towering seat made from the weapons of those who had failed to stop Aegon’s conquest. It subsequently became the ultimate symbol of power in Westeros, with generations of kings and queens fighting for the right to sit upon it.
Travis Head looks to bounce back after Australia’s South Africa Test series loss
While Head might have found himself a throne fit for a king off the field, his last international assignment with Australia did not have quite the same fairy-tale ending.
The Australian batter was part of the squad that suffered a 2-1 Test series defeat against South Africa including a 176-run loss in the series-decider at Newlands, Cape Town.
Head finished the series with 210 runs across six innings at an average of 35.00. He struck a brilliant 121 off 190 deliveries in the second Test at St. George’s Park, Gqeberha. However, his effort could not prevent South Africa from securing a comprehensive victory.
The left-handed batter will now turn his attention to white-ball cricket, having been named in Australia’s ODI squad for their upcoming three-match series against Ashes rivals England.
The series begins at Perth Stadium on November 13, followed by the second ODI at Adelaide Oval on November 15. The teams will then travel to Hobart for the third and final match at Bellerive Oval on November 18.
With Mitchell Marsh leading Australia in the series, Head will be among the experienced names expected to feature as the hosts prepare for another major white-ball assignment.
