The last time Pat Cummins played South Africa, he toiled for 46.5 overs out of Australia’s 241.5, prising out nine wickets in the match while being set 612 runs to win and beaten by almost as many. It was Johannesburg in 2018, and punishment for the sandpaper debacle was first levied on the field. “We don’t always have to finish a Test in four days,” smiled South Africa’s future captain Dean Elgar.
In their next meeting in Brisbane this week, Cummins bowled a breezy 25 overs across two innings, picking up seven wickets on his way to starting this three-match series by captaining a win.
