England’s Jonny Bairstow said his ‘headbutt’ celebration after his century on day two of the third Ashes Test was “light-hearted fun”.

Bairstow was accused of headbutting Australia opener Cameron Bancroft at the start of the tour, with both saying the incident was “without malice”.

After reaching his ton at the WACA in Perth, Bairstow touched his helmet with his head – but said it was not planned.

“It was a bit of fun with everything that’s gone on,” the 28-year-old added.

Bairstow’s fourth Test hundred was the wicketkeeper’s first against Australia in his 12th Ashes match.

“In many ways it was my favourite hundred,” he said. “To score an Ashes hundred is something you dream about as a kid, but it’s eluded me until now.

“You want to look back when you’ve retired and be able to say: ‘I made an Ashes hundred at the Waca.’ It meant a huge amount.”

The Yorkshire player added that his long look to the sky on completing his century was a nod to his father, David – a former England international who took his own life in 1998.

“That’s something that naturally happens,” he said. “It was a whole heap of emotions that come flooding through.”