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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Premier' Cummins needs to deliver one more time
From the teenage kid hitting the winning runs in his first Test match to 30-something Captain Marvel putting his side in touching distance of yet more global glory, 'Postman' Pat Cummins just keeps on delivering. And the good news? Even if Australia don't manage to successfully defend their World Test title under his stewardship at Lord's on Friday, Cummins promised after the latest demonstration of his Midas touch he has no intention of calling it a day for Australia "anytime soon". There wasn't much time for Cummins to reflect too romantically on his latest masterpiece - which single-handedly breathed fire amid a strangely flat early showing from his men on Thursday morning - because he's now charged with going out and doing it all again on Friday. And why wouldn't Australia expect him to produce the goods once more? It was 14 long years ago that the 18-year-old Cummins grabbed six second-innings wickets and hit the winning runs to earn a thrilling two-wicket win against South Africa in his debut Test in Johannesburg's Bull Ring in November 2011. Now here he was, eking out yet another six-wicket haul to give Australia a crucial first-innings lead, take his tally of Test wickets to 300 and move in sight of yet another triumph in a global tournament. As usual, Cummins was taking it all in his modest stride. No histrionics, just a quiet-sounding satisfaction. "It's really cool. Knowing there's not too many on that list who've got 300 wickets," he shrugged. "As a fast bowler as well, 300's something I always kind of thought about as a pretty good sign of durability, resilience and longevity. I feel pretty proud to join that group." It prompted him to reflect on those difficult years after that initial fireburst of glory in 2011 when he struggled with back trouble. "I've had a really good run the last half-a-dozen years or so, not missing too many games, but for the first few years I didn't know where my second Test match was coming." Then the news everyone wanted to hear. "But I still feel like I've got lots of miles in the legs. "Gaz (Nathan Lyon) is up past 500 wickets. It felt like back in the day, 300 you're close to the end. Starcy (Mitchell Starc) is almost 400, so hopefully I don't feel like I'm going to end anytime soon. "But the medical staff, I really need to thank them for the way they looked after me in the early years and continually to get me through a Test match." If his long-term future sounds promising, for the moment he's only concentrating on keeping his perfect record in global finals intact, and he looks to again be the key man as South Africa chase a total that he hopes will be as high as 250. Next level stuff from captain Cummins! He finishes the innings by collecting the 300th Test wicket of his career #WTC25 — (@cricketcomau) June 12, 2025 Australia currently lead by 218 with two wickets remaining. Even that could be enough should he slip straight back into the same groove. Former Test opener Matthew Hayden, for one, wouldn't fancy trying to chase down that sort of score with Cummins leading the charge. "To me, he's the good guy who flies under the radar somewhat but, personally, I would have liked least to face Pat Cummins of all the Australian quicks," mused the mighty southpaw. "He's a magnificent bowler, particularly to left-handers. A wonderful athlete, 100 per cent quality, the premier bowler in this era."
TimesLIVE
3 hours ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
The difference? Lungi Ngidi just needed a change of ends
At the end of the first day, when asked what advice he might give to Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada mentioned, steak, milkshake, a movie and a good night's sleep. Ngidi wouldn't confirm if he followed any of his good pal's counsel — besides the sleep obviously. But as it turned out, all he needed was to change ends. His two four-over spells in Australia's first innings on Wednesday's day one of the World Test Championship final at Lord's were dreadful. Ngidi couldn't find the right length and as a result, he also battled to locate the right lines to bowl. He conceded seven boundaries, the majority of them because he either over-pitched or bowled too wide of off stump. 'I was just struggling with a bit of rhythm from (the Pavilion End). I swapped ends and I felt a lot better,' he told the BBC. At the Pavilion End, where the infamous Lord's slope runs from Ngidi's left as he bowled, it would have felt like he was falling away from the stumps. For visiting bowlers it can always be a challenge here no matter how many overs are done at training. The @ProteasMenCSA 's shining star of the day shares his post-match thoughts 🎙️🇿🇦 #WTC25 | #SSCricket — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 12, 2025 For a bowler with Ngidi's height and physique, it can be extremely difficult and that was certainly the case on the first day where his economy rate of 5.7 stood out among all the bowlers — from both teams. No-one else conceded more than 3.5 runs an over. There were understandable groans when he was handed the ball after tea, with Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne on strike in Australia's second innings on Thursday. The feeling from a number of ex-players commentating on the World Test Championship final was Rabada, who had kept the Proteas in touch before the interval by taking two wickets, should have continued to bowl, particularly before Smith, had settled. But the South African brains trust chose to show faith in Ngidi, whose height and pace were given as reasons for his selection ahead of Dane Paterson for this match. 'It doesn't make a difference to me, opinions or whatever it is,' he said. While he may not have read or heard the criticism after his performance in the first innings, he'd have known he wasn't up to standards, the team has set, but most importantly that he has for himself. 'Obviously, it's been a very long time since I've played Test cricket — about nine months, 10 months, something like that. And that's with me. I obviously know why I was selected.' The best of Lungi Ngidi in isiXhosa 😏🎙️🇿🇦 #WTC25 | #SSCricket — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 12, 2025 It was August last year in Trinidad that Ngidi last played a Test match. He bowled 16.5 overs, and took one wicket in that match. He was dropped for the second Test of that series against West Indies and with injuries and then having to complete a strength and conditioning block, Ngidi missed the six Tests South Africa played and won to qualify for the Lord's showpiece. Offered an opportunity for redemption, and with that change of ends, Ngidi ripped South Africa back into a contest that Australian had taken firm control of. 'Obviously it was very disappointing not to get up to their [first innings total]. But credit where its due, they bowled very well. They put us under pressure and unfortunately we were that far [74 runs] behind,' Ngidi said. 'But once we started bowling, we realised that there was still enough in the wicket to bring that margin down. I was really looking to just finding a bit of rhythm.' That Ngidi certainly did, bowling a nine-over spell that took him through the first hour of the final session and beyond the drinks break. 𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐓𝐖𝐎 | 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐌𝐏𝐒 Lungi Ngidi is the star of the show at Lord's as the @ProteasMenCSA build momentum 😤🇿🇦 #WTC25 | #SSCricket — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 12, 2025 'Lungi struggled in the first innings, but he is a chilled guy. I don't think he was too affected by it,' said his teammate David Bedingham. 'To bowl nine overs on the bounce, takes a massive amount of effort. We are lucky to have him.' The wicket of Smith was the confidence booster Ngidi needed and instilled belief in his teammates at a time it may have been flagging. Their reaction once television replays came up with three red blocks, confirming Smith was out lbw, set the spark for what turned into a thrilling couple of hours of play. 'Once you get a moment like that, you don't want to really let it go because it could change the game. So I just kept going until my legs pretty much told me that's enough now,' Ngidi said. He described Smith's and Beau Webster's wickets as personal highlights. 'They got the better of me in the first innings.' 'But once I got a bit of rhythm and the ball was moving around a bit, I felt very confident again.' And at the end of the second day, so do his teammates. Australia, on 144-8, led by 2018 runs after South Africa had been out for a miserable 138 in their first innings earlier. South Africa have two wickets to get, and won't want Australia's advantage to reach 250. Pat Cummins, who also produced a mesmerising spell earlier in the day to his side in the ascendancy, said such a target would allow him to attack when South Africa batted. 'If you told me this was a position we'd be in at the end of the day, I definitely would have taken it,' Ngidi said. Excitement and confidence are high in the Proteas camp, Bedingham confirmed. 'It's an amazing chance, we are very, very excited by the opportunity to win. It could go either way, but we are very excited.' Ngidi's impact, so profound, so thrilling, created that chance. His redemption act has given them all hope.
TimesLIVE
9 hours ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Perfect Cummins flattens Proteas
Kagiso Rabada picked up two wickets minutes before lunch to keep South Africa's hopes aflicker after a devastating spell from Australian captain Pat Cummins put his side in the ascendancy on the second day of the World Test Championship final. As he did in the first innings, the spearhead of the Proteas attack dismissed Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in one over to put smiles on his teammates' faces. Australia went to tea on 32/2, a lead of 106 runs, with Marnus Labuschage on 16 and Steve Smith on 4. South Africa will need a lot more magic in the final session on Thursday if they are to narrow the gap to the Australians, for whom Cummins was magnificent as the spearhead of the effort that saw the Proteas bowled out for a miserable 138. The mission will be different for South Africa and Australia after the tea break 🇿🇦🇦🇺 📺 Stream #WTC25 on DStv: — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 12, 2025 He was like a pin that poked the Proteas' lunchtime balloon. The South Africans had felt good about themselves at the interval after scoring 78 runs in the first session and showing greater intent with the bat than they had on the first evening. Two elegant boundaries from David Bedingham in the final over put smiles on faces, but Cummins turned those to frowns with his burst after the break. It was the former Australian rugby captain John Eales who was given the moniker 'Nobody' because 'nobody's perfect', and it would have served as an appropriate nickname for Cummins too. He didn't make a mistake with the ball on Thursday, overwhelming the Proteas, to give his side what looks like a match-winning advantage. The cocaine, the suspension are in the past — this, the cricket, is what Rabada knows 'Hopefully we can score some runs,' Proteas ace says after gutting Australia but being let down by top order. Sport 12 hours ago Cummins trapped Kyle Verreynne lbw for 13, a decision that had to be sent to the TV official, after Chris Gaffney — who's been having a running battle with DRS in this match — kept his hands by his side. The Australian captain had the wherewithal to go to the third umpire even though he was smashed in the back by Verreynne who was trying to pick up a single. But nothing the South Africans did could keep Cummins down. Marco Jansen lasted three balls and chipped a delivery straight back to the bowler, while Bedingham, who top scored with 45, was the victim of a gem of delivery that was angled into him and then straightened off the surface, the ball glancing the edge of his bat giving Alex Carey a simple catch. That gave Cummins five for the innings, and his sixth wicket, saw him become the eighth Australian to pick up 300 Test wickets. 'It's way more than I could have asked for,' Cummins told the TV broadcaster. '300 is a big number for any fast bowler, it means you've come through a few things.' His post-lunch spell read 4.1—1-4-4 and saw him finish with 6/28, the kind of performance that, coupled with his display in the 50-over World Cup final against India two years ago, will only strengthen the argument that he belongs among the greats of the game in his own country.
IOL News
11 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Lunch break: Temba Bavuma opens his shoulders to lead Proteas fightback at Lord's
Australia's captain Pat Cummins celebrates the wicket of his Proteas counterpart Temba Bavuma on day two of the ICC World Test Championship final at Lord's. Image: Glyn Kirk / AFP The Proteas fought back bravely on the second morning of the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia, playing with a lot more freedom to get themselves back in the contest. The South Africans went into the lunch break at 121/5, still trailing the Australians by 91 runs. Captain Temba Bavuma (36, 84 balls, 4x4, 1x6) was the only wicket to fall in the morning session. The Proteas started the morning with a lot more positive intent, as Bavuma came to the crease and looked to score instead of just surviving, which was the case with most of the South African batsmen on the first evening. After blasting out Australia for 212, the Proteas limped to 43/4 in 22 overs on day one. Bavuma took almost 30 balls to get off the mark and seemed to just want to see out the day's play. After scoring 3 from 37 the previous evening, he scored a further 33 from 47 on the second morning. Proteas captain Temba Bavuma shows positive intent early on Day 2 💪 Catch the action live on our official broadcasters here ➡ #Cricket #CricketReels #WTC25 — ICC (@ICC) June 12, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading But on the second morning he switched gears, taking the fight to the Aussies. It was clear from the first over he faced from Mitchell Starc that it would be the case, as he stepped into the ball and looked to score instead of just playing dead-bat shots. The captain hit two superb lofted cover drives for four in the third over of the day - Starc's second - while Bedingham also played a few fine shots off his legs. Suddenly, the pitch and the bowling started to look a lot less threatening than it was the previous evening. Bavuma spanked a few more balls over and through the covers, forcing the Australians to try the short ball against the Proteas captain. However, he responded by pulling his Australian counterpart Pat Cummins for six over square leg. Bedingham hit a brilliant straight drive off Starc in the next over, but he started to get bogged down in the middle part of the first session. The Aussies started to bowl a lot straighter to him to bring LBW into play, as he tends to plant his front foot and plays around his pad. "Both teams a little bit underdone from a batting perspective" 🎙️ Day one belonged to the bowling units 🏏 📺 Stream #WTC25 on DStv: — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 12, 2025
India.com
12 hours ago
- Sport
- India.com
WTC 2025 Final: South Africa need to show more intent on Day 2, says Matthew Hayden
Mitchell Starc celebrates after picking up a wicket on Day 1 of WTC 2025 Final vs SA. (Photo: AP) The WTC 2025 Final Day 1 ended on an even keel with defending champions Australia striking back with the ball after being bowled out for 212. Pat Cummins-led side reduced South Africa to 43 for 4 as 14 wickets fell on an exciting opening day at Lord's in London on Wednesday. Former Australia opener and new inductee to ICC Hall of Fame, Matthew Hayden believes that Temba Bavuma's side need to show more 'intent' on the second if they hope to remain on top in this title clash. JioStar expert Matthew Hayden offered a session-by-session breakdown after Day 1. 'I'm not entirely convinced it was Australia's day. South Africa won the first session, and Australia's comeback in the final session—nine wickets in all—was surprising. The conditions were odd: cloudy for half the day and sunny for the other half. Batting should have been easier, but it wasn't,' Hayden said. 'I'd say maybe 80% in Australia's favour, largely because of South Africa's lack of intent. That started with Temba Bavuma. As a captain, it's not just about bowling changes—it's also about setting the tone with the bat. He showed little vigour, and that's dangerous when facing three world-class fast bowlers in conditions that suit them. They need to come out with more intent on Day 2. Any signs of aggression—even those few boundaries late in the day—will help. But if they don't, Australia will come into Day 2 as firm favourites.' Proteas captain Temba Bavuma shows positive intent early on Day 2 💪 Catch the action live on our official broadcasters here ➡ #Cricket #CricketReels #WTC25 — ICC (@ICC) June 12, 2025 Taking cue from Hayden, the Proteas have started the second day on a positive note. Skipper Bavuma, who tool 31 balls to get off the mark on the opening day, survived a torrid spell from Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood before opening up. But just when he was starting to look good in the middle while batting on 36, he gave a catch to Marnus Labuschagne in the covers off Cummins. Bavuma's knock was studded with 4 fours and a six. The SA skipper's wicket ended a 63-run partnership for the 5th wicket with David Bedingham. South Africans had put on 51 runs on the second day before Aussies finally got the breakthrough. JioStar expert Sanjay Bangar assessed the balance of Day 1 of the match. 'Clearly, it was Australia's day. They were on the back foot during the first session when South Africa bowled brilliantly — just 66 runs and four wickets in two hours. Then came a fightback through the Smith–Webster partnership. South Africa tried to claw back, but by losing four wickets later, they handed the advantage back to Australia. With the amount of seam movement on this pitch, the scoreboard doesn't reflect a par score. Australia is in a strong position,' former Team India assistant coach Bangar said. JioStar expert and former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn reflected on Mitchell Starc's impact with the ball. 'He's really quick through the air, and I certainly think he rushes a lot of batsmen. When you're a bit nervous and your feet aren't moving the way you want — just like Aiden Markram — he was caught in the crease, unsure whether to go forward or not. Starc had already gone past the bat a few times, maybe even beaten him on the inside edge once or twice. Then Rickelton decided he could hit it through the covers, and, the best Test bowlers in the world have this ability to pull their length back just slightly. A batter thinks he's got it covered, but then it kicks up, moves just a little more, finds the edge. 'That's what Starc, Cummins, and Hazlewood have done so well over the years. But it's also about big-match temperament. He's done it before, he believes he can do it again—and when he does, it becomes a habit. He also builds a reputation. He gets the backing of his captain. We know how he's going to do it, and if you look at his wickets, they're all very similar.'
