Pat Cummins hit an unbeaten 44 to help Australia win the first Ashes Test on Tuesday.© AFP
Australia captain Pat Cummins led from the front as the visitors defeated England by 2 two wickets in a thrilling first Ashes Test to go 1-0 in the five-match series. With Australia chasing a target of 281, Cummins put a strong rearguard, alongside Nathan Lyon, to take his team across the finishing line. Cummins hit an unbeaten 44 while Lyon put on a defensive masterclass with his 28-ball 16 not out on Day 5. On Day 3, England pacer Ollie Robinson had blasted Australia for being “too defensive”, and took a dig by saying that the visitors have “three No.11s” in Scott Boland, Lyon and Josh Hazlewood.
“It’s something we’ve spoken about as a group. We’ve said once we get past (Pat) Cummins, we feel like they’ve got three number 11s (in Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland and Josh Hazlewood). It’s something we can target through the series and try to wrap things up quite quick and give us that momentum throughout the series,” Robinson had said after Day 3.
As Cummins and Lyon put on an unbeaten partnership to take Australia to the win, the visiting captain came up with an apt response with regards to Robinson’s jibe.
“I didn’t hear that one. But batting is something we all practise. Nathan (Lyon) … puts a lot of time into his batting. We all had pretty strong plans. Even the adjustment from the first innings, we got a couple of bumpers. We adjusted and went out with a really clear plan. Leachy (Jack Leach) was pretty good as no.11 during the last series (2019),” Cummins said during the post-match press conference.
The second Test will start on Junw 28 at the iconic Lord’s.
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