Pat Cummins 'will resign' in bombshell call amid fourth Test humiliation
The Aussie captain continues to come under fire after England pummelled the tourists on day three at Old Trafford.
Victorian cricket great Darren Berry has predicted Pat Cummins will resign as Aussie captain after the Ashes series, following woeful scenes on the third day of the fourth Test. Cummins appeared to lose the plot with his captaincy and tactics late in England's innings, with Jonny Bairstow blasting a brilliant 99 not out to take the hosts to 592 all out.
Bairstow completely humiliated the Aussies as he put on an extraordinary partnership of 66 with No.11 batter Jimmy Anderson. The score was 9-526 when Anderson came to the crease, but Bairstow managed to push the total towards 600 as he blazed away in true 'Bazball' fashion.
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The Aussie bowlers resorted to a short-pitched ploy as Cummins put fielders back on the boundary, but it completely backfired as Bairstow hit it over their heads time and time again. Cameron Green finally dismissed Anderson lbw with a full and straight ball that smashed into his pads, leaving Bairstow stranded on 99 not out.
“This is unwatchable,” Berry wrote on Twitter, slamming Cummins' captaincy. “This is absolutely insane to anyone watching this s**t with half a clue about the game. Enough is enough now … keep banging em in lads WTF.”
When Anderson was finally dismissed, he added: “Well knock me over with a feather, a fast ball at the stumps to the No.11 gets him out. I’m shocked. What a circus. Never seen anything like this ever.”
Berry then went on to predict that Cummins' captaincy won't survive the Ashes series. He wrote: “Pat Cummins is a magnificent cricketer no doubt but remember this msg - he will resign from the captaincy after the Ashes series. The question is do they go back to Smudge (Steve Smith) or move forward to Head or Marsh?”
Speaking on BBC Test Match Special, Aussie commentator Jim Maxwell said: “Australia doesn’t have a proper method right now other than hope. They need the batters to make a mistake. The most predictable, stupid cricket. It’s nothing cricket.”
On Channel 9, former Aussie captain Mark Taylor said: “Australia got a little carried away with the short stuff. There has been too much short bowling … they are better than that. Yes, bowl short stuff, but don’t get carried away with it.”
Yep I’m in bed @MervHughes332 but can’t sleep. Here is my take Pat Cummins is a magnificent cricketer no doubt but remember this msg. He will resign from the captaincy after the Ashes series. The Q is do they go back to Smudge or move forward to Head or Marsh? Ashton Turner T20👌
— Darren Berry (@ChuckBerry1969) July 21, 2023
England have finally caused Australia to lose their collective minds. Bowling for batters to miss hit catches into the outfield? 🤷♂️
— Jamie Cox (@jamiecox1969) July 21, 2023
Australia have lost the plot again with the ball. #Ashes
— Andrew Wu (@wutube) July 21, 2023
Missing the cricket but sounds awful. Please tell me they didn't go back to ridiculous short bowling to the tail #Ashes
— Jason (@JasonofSyd) July 21, 2023
Pat Cummins being an awful Captain is a far bigger advantage to England than Bazball.
Australia need to get aggro and play like Australia, not this nancyboy defensive stuff.
Make Australia Australia again.#Ashes— Kwai Chang Kane (@kane_kwai) July 21, 2023
Awful tactics. Crap bowling. Zero leadership. We are being slaughtered in the field #Ashes
— JT (@JTowne7) July 21, 2023
Not sure who is coming up with these tactics behind the scene but they’ve been absolutely horrible. Bowling short and straight ALL the time so Bairstow can just smash it into the stands. Just madness, utter madness #ashes
— brad davidson (@braddavo) July 21, 2023
Rain looms as Australia's only saviour in fourth Test
Australia's only hope of staving off defeat appears to be the weather forecast, after they slumped to 4-113 at stumps and still behind by 162 runs. Australia's top order again failed to fire, with Mark Wood taking three key wickets in a devastating spell.
Marnus Labuschagne was left not out on 44 with Mitch Marsh at the other end after Wood ran through Steve Smith (17) and Travis Head (one) in the last hour. He also had Usman Khawaja (18) caught behind, capturing 3-17 and again looming as England's main destroyer. David Warner's frustrating series also continued, out for 28 when he chopped on to Chris Woakes in a moment of indecisiveness outside off stump.
But with heavy downpours forecast for Manchester on Saturday, and showers predicted on day five, the fickle English weather could save Australia's blushes. The Aussies only need a draw to retain the Ashes, but a loss would see England square the series at 2-2 heading into the fifth Test.
"I'd be very pleased (if it rained)," Aussie quick Josh Hazlewood said after stumps. "It's obviously forecast and forecasts can change all the time. Obviously rain and light plays a big part in cricket and has done forever.
"So yeah, it'd be great to lose a few overs here and there and make our job a little easier of hanging in there. That's pretty obvious."
Those comments immediately raised eyebrows in England's camp, with Jonny Bairstow suggesting it is not the way he would go about things. "Obviously the way in which we have played the game and have played the way over the past 18 months is something we are very proud of," Bairstow said.
"If that's the comments that are coming through, well the weather is the weather. I'm not (veteran British weatherman) Michael Fish."
with AAP
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