Pat Cummins had come under criticism for his tactics on the first day of the Ashes series, but he put in a captain’s performance with ball in hand on the fourth day.
It is a rare thing in cricket to see a fast bowler handed the captaincy, and even more of a baptism of fire to take charge ahead of the Ashes, but that is exactly what Cummins was tasked with in November 2021.
Australia went on to win the series 4-0, with England offering little resistance as the urn went back into the hands of the team Down Under after just 12 days of cricket.
This time around, England have had an impressive 12 months of cricket under their belt, winning all but one series, and 11 out of 13 Tests.
Bazball had arrived, and as always with the Ashes, it is a time when decisions and tactics are put under the microscope.
England won the toss and chose to bat, and Cummins and Australia immediately went on the defensive. There may be reason behind the decision to try and cut off the boundary options, but England, and Joe Root in particular were able to manipulate the field and pick up easy ones and twos in a score of 393 for eight declared.
However, on the fourth day with the ball in his hand and England at the crease, Cummins showed just why he is regarded as one of the best bowlers in the world.
England started the day 28 for two, and while Root epitomised Bazball trying to ramp the Australian captain on the first ball of the day, the tourists would soon take a number of crucial wickets.
Cummins’ delivery to dismiss Ollie Pope for 14 was up there with the best of them. The perfect yorker.
Pope tried to get his bat down in time, but the beautiful inswinger beat the batter and went straight on to send the stumps flying.
When England were bowled out, Cummins had bowled more overs than anyone other than spinner Nathan Lyon, and took four wickets for 63 runs.
A chance of victory for the tourists, thanks to a captain’s performance.
