Australia's captain, Pat Cummins, was in his element both as a leader and an all-round player as he led his side to a thrilling win over England by two wickets in a captivating opening clash of the Ashes series.
The visitors now hold a 1-0 lead and are a side strutting with confidence heading into the rest of the matches. Tasked with chasing down 281, Cummins demonstrated unwavering resilience and was ably supported by Nathan Lyon, ultimately steering his team across the finish line. Cummins showcased his prowess with an unbeaten 44, while Lyon exhibited a defensive masterclass, adding a valuable 16 not out from 28 deliveries on the fifth day.
Ollie Robinson took a jibe at Australia's batting
During the third day of the Test, England's Ollie Robinson, criticised Australia's defensive tactics and took a dig at the visitors by suggesting they had "three No.11s" in the form of Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood. Robinson's comments, however, only served as motivation for Cummins and his team, who responded on the field.
As Cummins and Lyon formed an unbeaten partnership, leading Australia to victory, the captain of Australia responded fittingly to Robinson's comment.
During the post-match press conference, Cummins revealed that he had not heard the specific remark made by Robinson. He emphasised the collective dedication to batting practice, mentioning Lyon's commitment to improving his batting skills.
Cummins also highlighted the team's strong planning and their ability to adapt, citing the adjustments made after encountering bouncers in the first innings. Additionally, he acknowledged Jack Leach's impressive performance as the number 11 batsman in the previous series held in 2019.
"I didn't hear that one. But batting is something we all practise. Nathan (Lyon) ... puts a lot of time into his batting. We all had pretty strong plans. Even the adjustment from the first innings, we got a couple of bumpers. We adjusted and went out with a really clear plan,” he said at the post-match press conference.
With this resounding victory and Cummins' composed response to Robinson's jibe, Australia enter the second Test at the Lord's Cricket Ground, commencing on June 28, with a strong sense of momentum.
