'That's not out': Controversy erupts over Pat Cummins catch

Pat Cummins has brought back memories of one of the most infamous incidents in Australian cricket history, after an extraordinary catch against Pakistan that many insist should not have been given out.

The Aussie captain starred with the ball on day three in Lahore, as he and fellow quick Mitchell Starc produced a bowling masterclass to put the visitors in a strong position to claim the deciding third Test.

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Australia's first tour of Pakistan in 24 years has been tough going for the bowlers but Cummins (5-56) and Starc (4-33) were finally rewarded for toiling away by routing the home team in a dramatic final session on day three.

With Pakistan seemingly crawling towards a third-straight draw at 3-248 on Wednesday, Australia's quicks produced a masterclass of reverse swing.

Pakistan lost 7-20 in a sudden collapse to crumble to 268 all out and hand Australia a first-innings lead of 123.

Openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner were forced out for three overs before stumps but survived as Australia to be 0-11.

However, Cummins' extraordinary effort to remove Azhar Ali caught and bowled on 78 proved particularly controversial for many viewers.

Ali chipped a delivery back at Cummins, who managed to get down quickly and snaffle the ball in one hand before throwing it into the air in celebration.

The Aussie skipper was still rolling on the ground when he threw the ball skyward, with cricket commentator and podcaster Geoff Lemon insisting it should not have been given out.

Lemon likened Cummins' catch to the infamous Herschelle Gibbs drop for South Africa in the 1999 World Cup defeat to Australia.

Gibbs famously kept Australia in the tournament after catching Steve Waugh out at mid-wicket but fumbling the ball after a premature celebration.

Australia would later go on to beat South Africa in the semi-finals, before lifting the trophy, with Waugh supposedly heard asking Gibbs: "How does it feel to drop the World Cup?"

Lemon said after watching Cummins' catch against Pakistan, he couldn't help but be reminded of that infamous incident.

“That Cummins catch was incredible - and should have been not out,” Lemon tweeted. “He Herschelle Gibbsed it.”

The commentator even posted a series of screenshots - including some explaining what constitutes a catch in the laws of cricket - before elaborating on The Final Word podcast.

“It was a magnificent catch. The only problem is it wasn’t a catch because he threw the ball away while he was falling to ground.

“That’s not a catch under the laws of the game because he’s in his follow through, he’s diving forward, he takes the catch … and as he rolls over he throws the ball up in celebration.

“He’s still rolling, he’s still tumbling. The laws of the game say that you must have the ball and your body under control.

“Totally a clean catch, held the catch for long enough, that’s fine.

“But his body’s still moving. The umpires made a mistake there. That is not out, and it should have been given not out.”

Lemon's controversial take certainly divided fans, with many happy to credit the Aussie skipper with an amazing catch.

Cummins and Starc clean up Pakistan batters

Giving Australia hope of claiming the Benaud-Qadir Trophy will be Pakistan's lower-order showed little resistance when the ball was swinging.

Pakistan's top-four of Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali and captain Babar Azam have been solid during the whole series but their last four batters did not contribute a run during the collapse.

All of Starc's four wickets came by attacking the stumps - three bowled and one lbw - while two of Cummins' wicket victims were clean-bowled.

But Starc knows Australia will have to fight as hard as ever to bowl Pakistan out twice.

"Last week (in Karachi) we thought the wicket may break up a lot more than it actually did," he said.

"Credit to Pakistan, they played really well, but we're in another position of opportunity...we'd rather be in those positions where we've got options and we're pressing the issue than having to survive.

"It's a huge positive for this group in foreign conditions to be pushing the game."

Australia have recorded just three Test victories in Pakistan dating back to 1957, with two of those coming in 1959, and Starc knows the special place in cricket history that awaits if they can achieve a 1-0 series win.

with AAP

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