Cummins’ stunning debut and Ricky hits back
Columnist By Kersi Meher-Homji, 21 Nov 2011 Kersi Meher-Homji is a Roar Expert
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- Australian Cricket, Cricket, Pat Cummins, Proteas, Ricky Ponting
Pat Cummins appeals as he takes his first five-for on debut (AFP)
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It seems Ricky Ponting’s obituary was written too soon by many experts. Last night he proved his detractors wrong with a polished and unbeaten 54 at stumps on day four of an engrossing Johannesburg Test.
Needing an imposing 310 runs to win this Test to draw the series, Australia is on the way with 3-142 with Ponting smelling runs and victory.
What twists and turns in the Jo’burg thriller! South Africa collapsed from 4-241 to be dismissed for 266, losing 6-25 on the opening day.
Australia was roaring at 0-174 with both the openers Shane Watson and the much-maligned Phil Hughes scoring four “fat ladies” (88 and 88) between them and “Then there were none”, so to speak, as the visitors lost 10-122 (fast bowler Dale Steyn the major destroyer with 4-64) on day two as the visitors gained a pencil-thin lead of 30.
South Africa appeared on song at 3-229 at stumps on day-3 with Hashim Amla and AB deVilliers playing confidently.
But Australia’s teenage debutant Pat Cummins changed it all in a hurry on day four, bowling with fire and was on a hat-trick. At one stage, South Africa was 6-266 (233 runs ahead) and it seemed Australia will need only about 250 to win.
Wrong! The Test took another turn as tail-ender Dale Steyn used the long handle to hammer 41 runs in 64 balls, smacking two fours and four sixes and his team reached 339.
Cummins had grabbed 6-79 as he reminded me of the debut of another Australian opening bowler, Bob Massie, who had taken 8-84 and 8-53 in the 1972 Ashes Test at Lord’s.
Australia had won the above Lord’s Test by eight wickets but they looked to be plunging to a series disaster as they lost Watson for a duck off the second ball of the innings, clean bowled by speedster Vernon Philander and Australia was one for none.
Worse was to follow as Philander also sent Hughes packing and Australia were 2-19 as they hunted down 310.
Both Usman Khawaja and Ricky Ponting were under pressure, with many predicting this to be Ricky’s farewell Test.
But they faced the chin music from Steyne, Morne Morkel (6’6’’ tall) and Philander with increasing confidence. Khawaja started off with two classy fours and Ponting held a straight confident bat.
Khawaja had a few problems facing the leg-spinner Imran Tahir, especially his googlies. He eventually fell to him after scoring a useful 65 off 110 balls, hitting eight fours and a six. A ball later the play was called off due to bad light.
The old and the new of Australian cricket had added 122 runs for the third wicket. Ponting is unbeaten on 54 off 104 balls, having hit six fours. He started off with two spectacular pulls to proclaim that the master is baaaaack.
The Test is heading for an exciting finish today as Australia, 3-142, needs 168 more runs to win the Test and level the series. Ponting is batting with skipper Michael Clarke with Mike Hussey still to come.
Will Brad Haddin resurrect his Test career by scoring vital runs?
So many questions as we head today to the conclusion of a Test match on a knife’s edge.
Kersi is an author of 13 cricket books including The Waugh Twins, Cricket's Great All-rounders,Six Appeal and Nervous Nineties. He writes regularly for Inside Cricket and other publications. He has recently finished his new book on Cricket's Conflicts and Controversies, with a foreword by Greg Chappell.
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- Australian Cricket, Cricket, Pat Cummins, Proteas, Ricky Ponting
November 21st 2011 @ 8:48am
Australian Rules said | November 21st 2011 @ 8:48am | Report comment
What an auspicious start from Cummins! Looks very promising and, hopefully, a fast bowler that the Australian team can nurture to become a long-term leader of the attack.
At the other end, Ponting – great to see him make some runs. He’s too good a player to be run out of town by those looking to point the blame of Australia’s rapid fall from grace. Fingers crossed for a match-saving ton.
We forget that people were calling for Tendulkar’s retirement when he was captain of a losing Indian side and he was personally in a lull. Satchin relinquished the captaincy and simply focussed on batting in the early middle order and the rest is history. I hope that Ponting (at no.4 or 5) can experience the same run-making renaissance that Tendulkar has enjoyed over the last few years.
November 21st 2011 @ 9:07am
jameswm said | November 21st 2011 @ 9:07am | Report comment
Sachin’s batting better than Ponting at the moment. That’s the difference. Ponting’s hardly scored a run for 2 years. How long do you wait?
Looks like Hughes’s 88 will keep him there. With runs on the board, you can ignore the snicks for 4, dropped chances off him, outs not referred, ugly blocks, inside edges and play and misses.
I must say Watson wasn’t exactly solid and chanceless either.
November 21st 2011 @ 9:16am
Ian Whitchurch said | November 21st 2011 @ 9:16am | Report comment
Jameswm,
That doesnt keep him there. What keeps him there is a lack of good opening in the Sheffield Shield – if there was a good alternative who was part of good, solid, repeated opening partnerships, he’d be gone.
November 21st 2011 @ 10:06am
rl said | November 21st 2011 @ 10:06am | Report comment
No, you can’t ignore them – Hughes isn’t fit for warehouse cricket.
As much as it pains me to promote the blue-baggers, I think the NZ series gives us the opportunity to give Warner and Khawaja a whirl at opening. I would never have believed it, but Warner has shown his commitment to keeping his head down and grinding out a long innings. And Khawaja definately seems to have the temperament. Watto surely needs to have some pressure taken off him, his bowling is just too good to have to cope with doing bloody everything. Maybe his renewed injury issues might force the selector’s hand.
There’s another veteran, solid opener from NSW too isn’t there…??
November 21st 2011 @ 10:18am
Matt F said | November 21st 2011 @ 10:18am | Report comment
Katich isn’t exactly banging the door down to get back in to be honest. He’s averaging 27 in the Shield this season and wasn’t in the best form before he got dropped (though he was still doing better then a fair few of the others.) Warner would be ahead of him at this stage, though Hughes’ runs of late will have bought him the summer in the selectors eyes. He needs consistent runs to remain there though. We don’t want another Marcus North scenario.
November 21st 2011 @ 10:55am
jameswm said | November 21st 2011 @ 10:55am | Report comment
Guys I wouldn’t ignore how the 88 was complied either (and see below for detail), but I think the selectors will. Well, maybe the old ones.
If Marsh stays injured that keeps Punter and Hughs there I guess, but as others have said, opening is even more of an issue with a push for Watson to move down the order. There isn’t anyone banging down the door.
Also, I think Warner is better as a 5/6. In fact I’d like Clarke, Watson and Warner to bat 4-5-6, within about 12 months.
I think Khawaja should be left to open, and dump Hughes. Warner or Watson to accompany him. Marsh 3. Clarke 4. Hussey 5 and Warner/Watson 6. That means Punter gone. Play a big knock Punter, win the game for us, and go out on top. Don’t be so arrogant you can’t feel the groundswell of opinion.
On Hughes’s 1st innings (2nd was his usual ungainly dud) – I recorded and re-watched balls 22-99. I left my notes at home, but here’s a rough summary:
- dropped once, played same shot to same following ball and close again
- caught behind off inside edge, not out and catch not referred
- about another 7 inside edges, some squirted to square leg for a single, some onto pads, some muffled appeals
- played and missed outside off only 2-3 times
- nearly caught down leg once
- about 7 good 4s off middle of bat
- a handful of solid blocks for 1-2 on each side of the wicket
- about 5-6 4s snicked through or over slips
- about 8 ugly blocks – by that I mean ungainly, awkward looking shots, late on the ball, head moving, in the air when hitting it
- about 7 ducked under bouncer
That means about 23 of 70 balls were dodgy, lucky or ordinary shots. It’s not a good strike rate, and it means you’ll get out eventually.
All his innings have a similar percentage of dodgy shots to balls faced. He never looks in and can get out at any time. Contrast that with a proper test top 6 batsman, and once in (30 odd balls), they look settled. Hughes never settles. Ironically his head keeps stiller when he’s flaying at it.
I’d tap Punter on the shoulder and dump Hughes, Haddin and Johnson. Sids may just stay in the 12. Maybe, maybe not.
Wade comes in for Haddin until Paine ready, Khawaja opens with Watto or Warner, Marsh 3, Clarke 4, Huss 5 and Watto/Warner 6. BOwling Cummins, Harris and Copeland, with Cutting/Starc/Pattinson and Hilfy close. Lyon the spinner by default.
November 21st 2011 @ 11:34am
sheek said | November 21st 2011 @ 11:34am | Report comment
James,
I know this is slightly off-topic, but long after the dropped chances are forgotten, the score remains in the hsitory books.
I can recall vividly Mark Taylor back in 1998, being dropped 3 times by Pakistani fieldsmen (all this before betting scandals) before reaching 20. He gave a 4th chance in his 90s. Nevertheless, he got his eye in & went on to equal Don Bradman’s highest test score of 334.
At the time, for those who recall, Taylor was battling to hold his place, having gone through an usually long batting drought.
So how Hughes got his runs is less important than the final score of 88. With Ponting, his previous failures will count for little if he makes a huge score in helping Australia win this test.
There’s a lot of truth in the saying, “You’re only as good as your last innings”. Often, perhaps unfairly, that’s all that counts!
November 21st 2011 @ 11:55am
rl said | November 21st 2011 @ 11:55am | Report comment
Good team. I have some concerns about that pace lineup – great potential, but gee there’s some possible injury concerns in there:
- Harris is an automatic pick, but can/should he play back-to-back tests?
- Watto – what’s the best thing to do with him? He has been bowling great, but that hammy is a major concern
- Cummins – kid can sure bowl, but a back injury by 18 years age scares me. When Watto pulled up sore this match, and Sids copped the treatment from Kallis, I had visions of Cummins putting in some heavy hours.
Leaving the upcapped Copeland as the only one with no fitness issues we are aware of. Risky.
Setting aside those concerns, the list of bowlers you have as alternates is very exciting.
November 21st 2011 @ 11:59am
Bearfax said | November 21st 2011 @ 11:59am | Report comment
Sorry but not convinced about Marsh long term Has made a great fist of a couple of tests but with a first class average of 39.5 and an age approaching 30, I suspect he played above himself…could be wrong though.
For mine the team would be
Hughes
Warner
Clarke
Khawaja
Hussey
Watson
Haddin (until Payne is back)
O’Keefe
Harris
Cummin
toss up between Copeland and Cutting for 11 and 12
Big surprise O’Keefe…I know. But he has a good head on his shoulders, is a good all rounder and gets wickets as a spinner
November 21st 2011 @ 12:23pm
Matt F said | November 21st 2011 @ 12:23pm | Report comment
Bearfax – Whilst you might be right that Marsh won’t be able to sustain his form over the long-term surely his performances so far have earnt him the right to prove it to us?
I don’t agree with keeping Haddin until Paine is fit. The gap between Paine and Wade is so small now that I’m not even sure there is one anymore. Certainly Wade is a much better batsman though I’d give Paine a slight edge with the gloves (it’s a very small advantage mind you.) Give Wade a go and if he performs, then Paine will have to wait his turn. If Wade fails then Paine will be ready to come in anyway. Certainly Wade looks a better option then Haddin right now.
I like your bowling line up though I thought Lyon bowled quite well in SA given limited opportunities. Given O’Keefe split the webbing in his hand last night I’d give Lyon a few more matches. O’Keefe is next in line for me though. I’m almost tempted to cross off Harris due to his injury issues but I’m happy to give him another shot.
November 21st 2011 @ 12:56pm
Red Kev said | November 21st 2011 @ 12:56pm | Report comment
The problem with the batting lineup is that there just isn’t the line of players averaging 50 in Shield Cricket that are banging on the door of the test team. I tried to write down a list of batsmen from which to select the 6 for a match and only came up with 8 (Hughes, Warner, Marsh, Khawaja, Watson, Clarke, Hussey, Fergusson – if you were feeling generous you could add North and Smith to that list). Katich is done and Ponting should be done (he needs to move on). Hussey cannot last more than two more summers and Watson needs to drop down the order (not because he’s failing as an opener but because his bowling needs to be utilised more so he needs some pressure relief). Throw in a couple of injuries and the cupboard is pretty bare.
Contrast that with:
Wicketkeepers – both Wade and Paine are better than Haddin and it’s only Paine’s injury that’s kept Haddin in the team, come the NZ series Wade will get the nod.
Bowlers – Harris is an automatic pick if fit and Cummins, Copeland, Pattinson, Cutting and Starc are all worth of selection. And even Hilfenhaus is bowling well at the moment (certainly better than the useless duo of Siddle and Johnson). That’s twice the number of pacemen required for a test match. (In the spinner department I still think Krejza is the best option, although I do like Lyon he needs more first class time).
November 21st 2011 @ 11:03am
Australian Rules said | November 21st 2011 @ 11:03am | Report comment
jameswm
Yes, “Sachin’s batting better than Ponting at the moment”…but a few years ago he wasn’t. That’s my point.
In 2005-2006 Tendulkar made 1 century in 2 years of Test Cricket and people (even many Indians) were calling for his retirement. His average fell from 44.40 (in the 05 calendar year) to 24.27 in 06 (he also averaged 17.00 in the 03 calendar year). Most batsmen slow down in their later years but genuine world class players, like Ponting and Tendulkar, are too good to discard after a lean trot. Admittedly, Ponting’s lean trot has been sustained and he needs to start making consistent runs.
Sachin is 39 in April and Ponting turns 37 in December. As I said, here’s hoping for a Sachin-esque renaissance for Punter.
November 21st 2011 @ 11:57am
jameswm said | November 21st 2011 @ 11:57am | Report comment
Sachin was only 33 then, and Ponting is nearly 37. That’s a pretty big difference.
Sheek – if you look at my first post on this thread, that’s exactly what I said. The selectors will ignore how the runs were made, because the runs were made.
I wouldn’t, though. When you’re playing an iffy shot to 1 out of 3 balls you face, then the odds will catch up with you, as they have with Hughes. Look at his 2nd innings, the first test, and 5 of his 6 innings in SL, and all his 6 innings in the Ashes. About 30-40% of the 88 runs were snicks off one edge or the other. OK everyone can get lucky a bit, but for Hughes the luck is a big part of his run-scoring.
I don’t like those odds and maybe he makes the others jumpy too. I’d rather be at the other end with someone looking solid and impregnable, who is disheartening the bowlers, rather than someone who is making them think they’ve got a chance at any time.
Those odds Sheek – 1 in 3 balls a dodgy shot – they’re almost unheard of.
November 21st 2011 @ 3:25pm
Rhys said | November 21st 2011 @ 3:25pm | Report comment
Tendulkar’s renaissance in form had nothing to do with relinquishing the captaincy – he hadn’t been captain of India for many years, Ganguly, Dravid and Kumble had taken the reigns in intervening years. Tendulkar’s revival was a result of him finally overcoming a longstanding elbow injury that had plagued him for several years, leading him to compromise his almost flawless technique. Yes it was great to see the revival of a champion in Tendulkar, and similarly it has been good to see the likes of Dravid, Kallis and Chanderpaul continue to push back the tides of advancing years.
I don’t claim to be the biggest fan of Ponting’s captaincy style, but as a batsman he has been a class act for 16 years at Test level. If he can enjoy a renaissance of form for the next couple of years, all the better for the Australian Test team, and for his legacy as a player. A century in this match may well prove the catalyst for a Ponting comeback – but let’s be realistic, at some point soon(ish), the post-Ponting era has to begin.
November 21st 2011 @ 9:30am
Red Kev said | November 21st 2011 @ 9:30am | Report comment
Too little, far too late from Ponting. All a good innings in this test does is give him a nice note to go out on.
As for Hughes, I’d like to see Warner and Marsh as an opening combination for Australia, but I would understand if Hughes was kept on. Watson has to go down the order though, to 4 or 6 depending on who else they select.
Nice to see Khawaja with a few runs as well, now if only they’d show him the same leniency that they’ve shown Hughes …
November 21st 2011 @ 9:35am
Lolly said | November 21st 2011 @ 9:35am | Report comment
Hopefully the selectors wouldn’t make a decision on Punter over one innings either way. Though I don’t know, I ‘ve never been part of that sort of process in sport, maybe it’s all flying by the seat of your pants.
November 21st 2011 @ 9:44am
Matt F said | November 21st 2011 @ 9:44am | Report comment
Ponting isn’t safe yet. A 50 isn’t going to do it for him, especially if we lose. He needs to make a century which would be his first test century in almost two years. Anything less and he’s in serious trouble, though he might get a reprieve thanks to the fitness concerns of Watson/Marsh.
If all goes perfectly then Haddin won’t need to bat, which is the worst thing that could happen to him as he needs a big score with Wade breathing down his neck.
Hughes has made a century and 88 in his last few tests which will be enough to buy him the summer (especially when compared to some other players in the side) though he hasn’t nailed down a spot yet.
Cummins was outstanding, though the fact he needed to go off for an ice bath before lunch should be taken as a warning that we need to manage him very carefully. He’s our leading wicket taker for the series which is a sad indictment on his fast bowling partners, who are both also under pressure. Any 18 y/o that can swing the ball both ways and bowl a good line (at his pace as well) has something special and he stood up when his more experienced partners did not.
November 21st 2011 @ 4:37pm
Axelv said | November 21st 2011 @ 4:37pm | Report comment
He got a century less than a year ago, don’t make stories up.
November 21st 2011 @ 5:20pm
jameswm said | November 21st 2011 @ 5:20pm | Report comment
No Axel.
Check your facts.
Ponting’s last test century was in January 2010 – a double ton against Pakistan. That’s nearly two years ago.
Let’s hope he scored 130 tonight.
November 21st 2011 @ 9:46am
Nate Hornblower said | November 21st 2011 @ 9:46am | Report comment
Go punter, everyone wants to see a match winning ton the stop the media gibberish about dropping this great player
cummims is the real deal, bowling really good areas,
November 21st 2011 @ 9:50am
mds1970 said | November 21st 2011 @ 9:50am | Report comment
For someone so young, who’s only played a handful of Shield games, Cummins was impressive. Looks to have a bright future.
How good is this Test. So many momentum swings and twists in the tale. I wouldn’t be surprised if this goes down to the wire and is decided by just a handful of runs or a couple of wickets.
If Peter Roebuck was still with us, he would have pointed out the symbolism that on the weekend when Basil D’Oliviera, who was denied the opportunity to play for South Africa because of the colour of his skin, passed away; that it was the coloured Hashim Amla who top scored for South Africa.
November 21st 2011 @ 9:55am
Brett McKay said | November 21st 2011 @ 9:55am | Report comment
Kersi, I posted this on Geoff’s article, but it fits here too:
If – IF – Ponting goes on and gets the other 46 runs tonight, he becomes difficult to drop, more so when you consider that Marsh may not be fit for Brisbane, and Watson himself has admitted that he may not be right either.
I thought Johnson actually bowled quite well with the new ball before lunch, but ended up with nothing to show for it as Cummins got the rewards. Copeland waits in the wings, and Ben Cutting has again added to an already mounting case. And I thought Nathan Lyon bowled really well too – he should have had Steyn LBW, but Hawkeye somehow managed to produce a mirror image of Warne’s Gatting Ball for the review.
Interesting week coming up for Messrs Inverarity, Marsh and Bichel…
November 21st 2011 @ 10:11am
Bearfax said | November 21st 2011 @ 10:11am | Report comment
We knew Cummins had it in him. A potential champion bowler. But lets not expect too much of him too soon. Hughes scored centuries in two innings at the beginning of his young career and we saw him as the next Bradman. These young blokes will take time to develop and will fail often in their early years. Lets be patient with them. I was also pleased to see Khawaja get a reasonable score and score under much adversity. Another potential star in the making who just needs time. What with those lads, Cutting, Copeland, Starc, O’Keefe, Smith, Payne and Warner, we may have the nucleus of a champion side again in a few years.
November 21st 2011 @ 10:19am
Harry said | November 21st 2011 @ 10:19am | Report comment
Will wait and see how they go today. One of Ponting, Clarke and Hussey needs to step up – and by stepping up that doesn’t mean a half century. And IMO another in the last chance saloon is Haddin.
As to the bowling , well it was a great debut, and hjopefully he’ll learn a lot from it. But what stood out was the fact that our go to bowler was an 18 year old on debut. Johnson and Siddell just did not look like breaking through or even keeping it tight. Both Starc and Cutting looked good in the Qld/NSW one dayer yesterday and if they have good games in the A match I would rather have these guys in the test team than Johnson and Siddell.
One final point – anyone who still thinks Katich should be in the test team needs to watch his brief innings yesterday.