Pat Cummins Says WTC Final Is 'Close To 50-50' But Backs Australia's Chances
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Pat Cummins rued his team's collapse with the bat in the third innings, underlining the importance of lower-order runs in the low-scoring ICC World Cup Test championship final.
Australian skipper Pat Cummins believes the ICC World Test Championship final at Lord's hangs in the balance even after two days of a great bullfight against South Africa.
After taking an influential lead of 74 runs on dismissing the Proteas for 138 in response to their 213 made on Day 1, the defending champions would've hoped to coast towards the Test championship crown with a decisive effort. But they found themselves reeling at 73 for 7 before a priceless 43 from wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey and his critical 61-run stand with Mitchell Starc (16*) kept Cummins' men slightly ahead in the contest.
The captain said a few more wickets in the shed could've been instrumental heading to Day 3, leading to more old-ball runs.
'It's set up pretty well. The mood in the changing room is pretty positive. It was a great partnership and a good way to end the day," Cummins said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. 'After two days it's pretty close to 50-50. It's a pretty good Test match. Some blokes have got themselves in and looked comfortable out there, but a lot of other guys haven't."
'The trend of the game is that the runs are coming down. It's still pretty difficult out there, so it's set up pretty well for a day-three finish, you'd imagine, tomorrow, but we are going to have to bowl well still in the fourth innings," Cummins added.
Assessing a tricky Lord's surface that has offered consistent seam movement with a mix of uneven bounce to the quicks, Cummins insisted a chase of 200-plus would be difficult for the South Africans.
'When I walked out, anything over 200, so good to get over that. But you just want to get as many runs as you can," the fast bowler said. 'So, happy we've got 200, hopefully we get another 20 or 30 in the morning. That'd be good. That'd give us a few more options to bowl a few more aggressive fields."
Cummins' memorable spell of 6 for 28 brought Australia's noses ahead after the first essay. The great right-arm quick ran through the South African batting line-up in an exhibition of wobble seam bowling at its menacing best.
He also took his 300th scalp for Australia during his six-fer, becoming only the eighth Australian bowler to reach there in Test history.
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