Pat Cummins, incredulous at how quickly he has become an Ashes series-winning captain this summer, said the ruthless thrashing of England has set his team up to become the world’s No.1 side over the next few years.
Cummins gave special praise to Mitchell Starc and Australia’s selection panel for giving a debut to Scott Boland, as Boland claimed the ridiculous figures of 6-7 to wrap up the third Test early on day three to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five game series.
Here’s everything Cummins said in his post-game press conference
“For me he’s just about the player of the series – fantastic,” said Cummins of his pace parter.
Starc has 14 wickets in the series, including three in England’s second innings 68 and he was monumental leading the Aussie attack in the second Test when Cummins was absent.
“You saw last week in Adelaide how he lifted and led the attack,” said Cummins. “This summer he’s gone to a new level.
“He’s experienced, he’s played 70 odd Test matches but he’s found another gear with the ball that’s not swinging – he’s taking wickets consistently, beating the outside edge consistently. He’s been titanic for us.”
Starc hasn’t been to everyone’s taste – notably Shane Warne who again questioned his place in the team before the first Test. The paceman has left his response to the playing field.
“At the start of the summer we spoke about how there is external pressure but absolutely zero internal pressure,” Cummins said.
“We know what a superstar he is. He’ll go down as one of the all time great Aussie bowlers and we have got to remember that sometimes.
“He’s got a strike rate under 50, has taken 250 odd wickets, he’s shown his class in all conditions.
“As a captain I feel so lucky I’ve got someone like him in my team – you know you’re going to give him the ball and he’s going to create something . I couldn’t be happier for him – a brilliant three Test matches so far.”
On the incredible debut by Boland/strong>
“When you bring in an experienced player why they’re so valuable is not only their on field performance but you know they’re very level, they’ve been through highs and lows over a professional sporting career,” said Cummins.
“He’s been really calm, confident in his own ability, and just brilliant around the squad. He quarantined with us when went to the Gold Coast a couple of months ago so he’s spent a good amount of time around the team bowling to our Test batters. It’s been a really good process leading into this Test match.
“I’m obviously incredibly impressed with the way he bowled in the first innings and this one in particular.
“But we’re not overly surprised. We knew he was going to do a great job for us on the MCG, probably surprised he took 6-7!
“But he did what the selectors picked him for. Just fantastic and more than just for Scotty the three selectors deserve a whole lot of credit. They’ve really picked a horses for courses type selection with Scotty and he showed there was enough info to pick him on and he repaid that faith.”
On his thoughts about wrapping up the series so quickly
“It’s always the dream but no,” Cummins said. “It’s all gone to plan. Even yesterday it felt like a day where England played really well but we managed to wrestle it back .
“Winning early on day three just doesn’t happen at the MCG so it’s a fantastic result. It’s the first ashes victory for a lot of the guys in the team. It’s a great feeling.
“I haven’t felt there’s been one session where it’s got away from us.
“It’s what dreams are made of the way we’ve played. Outside of the results there’s so many other positives as well – we’ve been able get a couple of debutants in, really build a squad of 15 odd players. It doesn’t just feel like a 3-0 victory – it feels like we’re really setting ourselves up for the next few years as well.
“We’ve got seven players in the top 10 in the world at the moment, four batters and three bowlers and we probably haven’t strung together the type of performances in the last couple of years that we expected from ourselves.
“I think this really consolidates we are a really good strong Test cricket side and it’s a good sign for the next few years.
“The Test championship is now a big thing – I absolutely want to be in that final in a couple of years time.”
“Winning away from home,” is another big challenge he is looking forward to, adding: “We’ve got a great opportunity to go over a couple of sub continent tours.”
On becoming an Ashes winning captain
“I grew up in the backyard watching Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting win Ashes series. It felt a million miles away from me playing cricket in the backyard and here I am a decade later.
“It’s madness. The MCG is a good reminder each year when you play the Boxing Day morning, you hear the anthem, there’s a packed house and millions of people watching at home. It’s a great reminder that you’re part of Australian history and Australian cricket history and it always takes me back to my childhood.
“This is nowhere near what I could imagine my life would be as a young kid.”
On Justin Langer’s future and the selection wins so far
Justin Langer has said he will seek an extension to his contract after this series but Cummins didn’t want to be drawn on that discussion for now.
But he was prepared to give selectors, headed by George Bailey, a wrap and noted it was a tough job trying to pick a bowling attack for the fourth Test.
“Good luck to them,” said Cummins. “Even Jhye Richardson with a niggle presented an opportunity to Scotty Boland but I thought it was a really brave call by the selectors to bring in Scotty for this game and full credit they’ve made the right call.
“For Sydney, Jhye will hopefully be available, Josh Hazlewood will hopefully be available, we still have Neser in the squad. We’ll wait and see, it’s a luxury at the moment. We have so many fit and available players who can step in.
Steele
Roar Rookie
Boland has never averaged mid thirties. You say that after one innings when he was clearly not given the pill as much as the other two quicks. In fact he barely got a bowl in the first 20 overs of the second innings well, making the feat all the more remarkable. I never said Boland is better than Neser, but I do think he is stiff to be considered for debut later than him. The MCG was terribly flat for most of his career. Personally I really rate Richardson, but don’t believe he is suited to certain pitches that offer no movement, the same with Neser. They both offer more with the bat. I strongly believe Neser has benefited from the Gabba, regardless of what you suggest. And yes I do think Harris has benefited since he’s made the switch to Victoria. Khawaja would probably have made plenty more runs playing on the old MCG wicket every week no doubt.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
He attacks the stumps so he does get a bit of stick We must be talking about different Starcs. One of the criticisms of Starc is that he sprays it around, especially the new pill. And those stats of yours? No response then?
Rob
Guest
Sounds almost as skullduggery as the Mulitalo breaking news. NSW media looking to get a Captaincy change maybe?The whole country is doing what NSW media want. Just ask a politician.
Rob
Guest
Go Queensland. Like I said I’m very quick to rip into the NSW egos but I’m not agreeing with Warne especially over his criticism of Starc. He’s married to a QLD girl. He attacks the stumps so he does get a bit of stick. I respect that more than bumper bowling. Anyway why the hell is McDermott not playing for the Heat?
Rob
Guest
Just pointing out that the surfaces being played on affect bowler’s and batsman stats. Boland was averaging mid 30 average with the ball and suddenly he’s brilliant with the ball on MCG. Last game Harris played at the MCG he scored 0,1. If you’re concluding Nesser has benefited from GABBA then the Queensland batsman are at a disadvantage when selectors are looking at runs being scored. Not sure Nesser is a lesser bowler than Boland but I’m sure Nesser’s batting and fielding maybe be stronger.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Don’t be fooled by the enigma of media tart Warne. SKW is an "enigma"? That's news to me. The only thing Warne hides is the top of his head. And where did you get this 7-11 "over 40%" stat? Howstat uses an 8-11 cohort, for which Warne's stat is 37.1%. For comparison, Lyon, O'Reilly, Grimmett & Benaud range between 33.1 and 34.9 so Warne is nowhere near being an outlier. Also, "over 40%" is not a "majority of wickets". But they're all minor quibbles, my point was that SKW was more than justified for opining that Starc should be dropped. The vehement and vindictive response from our NSW-centric media has been almost as parochial and appalling as their sustained attack on Langer.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Not from where I'm sitting D...
Rob
Guest
Boland had a day out with truely unbelievable figures but seriously he only dismissed 3 Top 6 batsman over 2 innings?
Rob
Guest
Don’t be fooled by the enigma of media tart Warne. He got a majority of wickets getting batsmen 7-11 out ( over 40%). After 4 Tests in 1992 Warne averaged 96runs a wicket. He had a day out in his 5th Test claiming 8 WI wickets (4 tailenders) with 7/52 coming on day 5. Then in 1998-2000 over about 17 Tests Warne averaged almost 40 with the ball. When Steve Waugh suggested McGill should be selected, Warne carried on like a pork chop.
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Hopefully not me.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Serious, Q.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Cummins is going already????? Where'd you hear that Sheek?
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
The only places that "strike rate" is relevant are baseball & ten-pin bowling.
Kim Philby OBE OL
Roar Rookie
Sheek, yeah I was having a giggle. And you are correct that it was Paine responsibility when he pressed send. I have no issue with that. What I do find curious is that it was all kept hush hush until 10 days before the Ashes. My background in espionage(lol) tells me that there was someone trying to use the Ashes as leverage. For example wouldn’t the British ‘press’ just love to do an interview with the lady in question on the eve of the first match. I still haven’t seen an explanation as to why Paine fronted up at that precise point or how those events unfurled.
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Avg of 19.6 is outstanding. Even so he's a strike bowler, you're better to look at strike rate rather than avg
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Typically it's everybody
sheek
Roar Guru
Rob, Reminds me of the cartoon of the young boy & girl doing a "show me yours". The boy says proudly, "I've got one of these". The girl replies dismissively, "I've got one of these & I can have as many of those as I want".
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Starc has taken the most wickets in the series As I said to someone else, "Seriously"? As the only Oz frontline quick who's played in all 3 Tests, *and* as Cummins is the only one who's played two, *and* he gets the new pill for some unfathomable reason, it'd be pretty odd if he *wasn't* top of that list. Also in the category of, 'Well Isn't That His Job?", you declare Starc's "big thing" is taking out the top order. Well, they may be 'top' in the batting order, but I'm betting that none of Burns, Hameed, Malan, Crawley & Bairstow are going to be on anyone's list of 'top' batters. That SKW could be crucified by 'our' media since before this series started for suggesting that Starc, he who was so devastatingly terrible in his previous 3 Tests, be dropped is PFO, and a sad statement on the level of parochialism in 'our' cricket media. (A reminder of those 3 Tests, 7w @ 55.4, rpo 3.53)
Graeme
Roar Rookie
The ECB should review every player and lay down the law that they follow the Captain or walk out the door.
Graeme
Roar Rookie
Sheek they hoo haaed Border's team which was the beginning of a dynasty, after an initial unexpected series win. Apart from Smith and Lab and the current bowling line up, this Australian team will continue to gel under Cummins. Carey, Green, Head and mew found bowling depth will thrive in this positive environment. Teams with ability, belief and that enjoy the game are incredibly hard to stop.