Australia vs England third test day 3 cricket scores, results, start time, wickets, teams, how to watch, Adelaide Oval
Pat Cummins declared three months ago that he would never need to prepare to play a Test match.
He proved that on Thursday by storming through England’s top order to help Australia cruise to victory in Adelaide and retention of the Ashes once again.
Australia’s Pat Cummins celebrates taking the wicket of England’s Joe Root.Credit: Getty Images
Cummins, who won enough to complete the series in Adelaide, took 3-54 for Australia as the English fell to 8-213 in response to the hosts’ 371.
Cummins’ spinal stress injury in his lower back has been the most talked about injury in Australia for the past three months.
At first the injury was deemed minor. Then the captain was put in doubt for the first Test. At one stage it looked like the whole summer was gone.
As is often the case, the truth was somewhere in the middle. Cummins probably could have played in Brisbane two weeks ago but he was absolutely right for Adelaide.
At the height of the speculation, Cummins made one thing clear. It wouldn’t take long for him to start bowling again and there would be no need for a warm-up match.
“I had no doubt,” Nathan Lyon said.
“(I knew) when I saw Pat working his ass off at Cricket Central, which is quite a distance from home.
“The amount of effort he puts into rehab, recovery, then reps, training, and the gym.
“I’m extremely proud of the way he’s gone about it. That’s why he’s such an inspiring leader, honestly.”
And all of this took place among the most oppressive conditions Lyon have ever played in.
“Pat has worked very hard to get to where he is now,” Lyon said.
“At the same time, every bowler is different. I know for me, I love to bowl before a Test series.
“But Pat is so world-class that he can take a comprehensive break, work his backside, then come in and be extremely effective and be a world-class bowler.
“He is.”
AAP
