Fears 10th-wicket flop ‘damaged Aussies psychologically’; is Pat ‘best since Bradman’? — Day 1 SCG Talking Pts

Pat Cummins became the first Australian bowler in more than five years to take three consecutive five wicket hauls on the opening day of a SCG Test which saw Pakistan’s tail wag to breathe life into the match after a disastrous start.

The visitors were bowled out for 313 after being 4/47 including a remarkable last-wicket stand.

Foxsports.com.au runs through the big Talking Points from Day 1 of the New Year’s Test!

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THE BEST SINCE BRADMAN

How good could Pat Cummins, the bowler with the golden arm, become?

With the boldest of predictions, Michael Vaughan declared Cummins could finish his career the best Australian since Don Bradman.

The Australian captain started 2024 in the same manner with which he finished off an extremely successful 2023, namely in devastating fashion.

Among the noteworthy achievements on Wednesday are the following; Cummins became the first Australian since Nathan Lyon in 2017 to take three consecutive five wicket hauls. The last to take four in succession was Shane Warne back in 2004.

At one stage before Aamer Jamal’s stunning 82 late in the day, Cummins had taken a wicket with every 21 balls since Christmas.

And the 30-year-old now has the fourth-best average on home soil of any bowler in Test history who has taken at least 100 wickets behind England’s Jim Laker and South Africans Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.

Astonished by the Australian skipper’s brilliance with the ball during the Boxing Day Test and in Pakistan’s opening innings at the SCG, Vaughan delivered a googly in commentary.

Asked whether he would prefer Australian legend Dennis Lillee or Cummins as a player, the former English captain opted against playing a straight bat.

“I saw a bit of D.K. Lillee, but I think Pat Cummins,” Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.

“I don’t think he is ever going to surpass Sir Don, but I think Pat Cummins is going to be Australia’s greatest cricketer after Sir Don. I honestly think he is that good. His bowling. His captaincy. His numbers. He has five to seven years left to play.

“I honestly think he is that good that we will be talking about him in a few years as being just behind Sir Don Bradman as the greatest Australian cricketer.”

The Australian captain once again struck a significant blow when he delivered a magnificent inswinging delivery to trap Babar Azam LBW for 26 as Pakistan was looking to find solid ground after a disastrous start at the SCG.

Cummins tends to favour using a “dirty seam” when bowling but he has proven deadly when using the inswinger on Australian soil to right-handed batters over the past two years.

Since the start of 2022, he has taken 10 wickets in Test cricket at an average of 12.4 with the ball that nips back into the right-hander off the seam. But when moving the ball inward through the air, he has secured 10 wickets at an average of 6.4.

It prompted his fast-bowling colleague Mitchell Starc to wonder why he does not deploy the inswinger more frequently.

It is a question Fox Cricket analyst Mike Hussey also asked when pondering whether the surprise factor was critical in Cummins securing wickets with the inswinging delivery.

“The question for Pat Cummins is, ‘Do I bowl it every now and then as a surprise for the batsman?’ Or, because the numbers are so good, why doesn’t he bowl it more often?” he said.

Kerry O’Keeffe, meanwhile, believes Cummins will crack legendary status if he can bring his career average below 22 by the end of his career.

The 30-year-old, who has the best strike rate among the top-10 wicket takers for Australia in Test cricket, currently averages 22.3.

He has averaged under 20 in three of the eight years in which he has represented Australia in long-form cricket, though he has played less Test cricket in those seasons.

“He’s an incredible bowler,” Mitch Marsh said of Cummins.

“If you look back at all the best bowlers in history of cricket, they’ve always had that in them, the ability to come on and take a wicket when the team needs them to.

“He just always finds a way for us. That strength has grown over the last couple of years, and it’s added to his leadership role as well.”

MORE ON THE MAN WITH THE MIDAS TOUCH

Everything Cummins touches is turning into gold at the moment.

The Australian skipper’s captaincy has come leaps and bounds over the past 12 months; from his decision to bowl first in the World Cup final to last week’s dismissal of Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan at the MCG, Cummins has proven a skilled tactician across formats.

And one day one of the New Year’s Test in Sydney, the New South Welshman added another captaincy masterstroke to his growing resume.

In the 15th over of Pakistan’s first innings at the SCG, Saud Shakeel awkwardly scooped a Cummins delivery towards deep square leg for two runs. The Australian skipper immediately responded by plugging the gap with two catching fielders for the pull shot.

Speaking on Fox Cricket commentary, Vaughan suggested the field change was a psychological ploy to interrupt Shakeel’s concentration.

“It’s to get into his head,” Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.

“They’re trying to say to Shakeel, the short ball’s coming. It might be the full length ball that does for him. He’s got to make sure he transfers his weight back into the ball if it is full.”

The following delivery, a flat-footed Shakeel tentatively fended at a Cummins delivery in the channel, feathering the Kookaburra through to Alex Carey with the gloves. It was just the second time the Pakistani had been dismissed for single figures in Tests.

“The plan works. He does get into his head,” former England bowler Isa Guha declared.

Vaughan continued: “It’s brilliant captaincy, great planning. It’s not great batting, it really isn’t. The plan and the field that was set got into the mind of Shakeel. It’s a really poor stroke, really poor from Shakeel. At this level, that’s really soft.”

Cummins’ use of the DRS has also improved drastically since the start of the World Cup India, with the 30-year-old unearthing his first wicket of 2024 with a successful review for LBW against Pakistan superstar Azam on Wednesday morning.

PERTH HAS BEAUTIFUL BEACHES AND MAGNIFICENT WEATHER. SO WHERE THE BLOODY HELL WAS … RIZWAN?

OK. Apologies for the tease regarding the Western Australian crowds and the play on an old advertising campaign featuring Lara Bingle.

But the point remains. How did Pakistan overlook Mohammad Rizwan for the first Test in Perth which set the tone for the series?

Just as catches win matches, good decisions at the selection table can be critical when it comes to ensuring a side is given every chance to succeed in Test cricket.

The sloppy hands of Abdullah Shafique proved costly during the opening two Tests, but questions were also being asked about Pakistan’s selectors on two fronts on Wednesday.

While Pakistan legend Wasim Akram was among those bewildered by the decision to rest premier pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, Rizwan’s fine knock of 88 understandably prompted questions.

The aggressive wicketkeeper posted Pakistan’s highest score for the series at the SCG on the opening day as the wickets fell around him.

It followed a sound performance at the Boxing Day Test, which finished when he was adjudged out in a contentious decision, effectively ending Pakistan’s plucky pursuit at the MCG.

Which begs the question? How did Pakistan overlook him for the opening Test of the series in Perth in which they were battered from pillar to post when beaten by 360 runs?

Pakistan preferred Sarfaraz Ahmed in Perth, but he found Mitchell Starc too tough to handle when falling to him twice for a combined tally of seven runs.

Pakistan legend Wasim Akram gave his nation’s selectors an out on this occasion, pointing out that Ahmed had performed well in recent matches prior to arriving in Australia.

The 36-year-old started 2023 scoring 78 and 118 against the Kiwis in Karachi.

But he did not fire against Sri Lanka in two Tests away in the middle of the year, though he was unbeaten in his last dig on that tour.

“Faraz scored 100 in the last game he played for Pakistan in Test cricket against New Zealand … and that is why they wanted to carry on,” Akram said on Fox Cricket.

“But after the first Test match, obviously he did not perform with the bat. They said ‘Okay. Let’s go to Plan B.’ And Rizwan has grabbed that chance with both hands.”

WHAT EXACTLY WERE THE AUSSIES DOING LATE?

It was hard to imagine Pakistan being in a healthy position at stumps after sitting 4-47 and then 5-96.

The 88 from Rizwan was certainly impressive, as discussed above, but it was the 82 from No.9 Aamer Jamal that really stunned the SCG crowd on Wednesday afternoon.

After debuting in the Perth Test, and coming into the New Year’s Test with a first-class high score of 80*, Jamal took full advantage of an Aussie attack who seemed to think they’d record the final wicket of the innings just by default.

He smashed nine fours and four sixes in his 97-ball stint, helping Pakistan to the highest tenth-wicket stand at the SCG since 1985, combining with Mir Hamza for an 86-run partnership.

We don’t want to take anything away from him – he played to the situation, and played extremely well. But surely the situation was the Aussies’ fault?

Nathan Lyon was belted around the ground, leaking 74 runs from 17 overs before finally getting Jamal’s wicket, while Josh Hazlewood (1-65 off 15 overs) wasn’t overly effective either, with Marnus Labuschagne (0-9 off three overs) and Travis Head (0-1 off one over) even given a run.

“I don’t think spreading the field out and only trying to get one batter out works very often,” Fox Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle tweeted.

“Australia didn’t try hard enough to get Aamer Jamal out.”

A Pakistan journalist put it even more bluntly: “Jamal has damaged Australia psychologically. He brought the confidence of Australia down.”

Mitch Marsh suggested the credit needed to go to Jamal, rather than the Aussies making major mistakes.

“You always have to back in what you’re doing, certainly when you’re bowling to a tailender. He could easily hit one of those straight up,” he told reporters post-match.

“We certainly weren’t waiting for that to happen, but I honestly think that he batted unbelievably well.

“We saw a potential weakness to the short ball last game. But the ball got old on a slow wicket.

“He played exceptionally well, so it was hard work.”

THE BIG BISON. CAN BAT. CAN BOWL.

Mitchell Marsh has been such a wonder with the willow since being recalled midway through the Ashes that it is possible his deeds with the ball have been somewhat overlooked.

After undergoing surgery on his ankle last summer, the West Australian’s bowling has lacked the pace he once possessed.

He barely bowled during Australia’s recent white-ball tour of South Africa and only claimed two wickets during the triumphant World Cup campaign in India.

However, Marsh’s contributions with the ball throughout the Benaud-Qadir Trophy have been vital, with none better than his dismissal of Pakistan captain Shan Masood at the SCG on Wednesday afternoon.

The 34-year-old had nudged his way towards 35 before falling victim to Marsh when edging a length delivery in the channel through to Steve Smith at second slip.

Having swung a handful of deliveries into the left-hander, Marsh nipped a delivery away from Masood, breaking a pesky 49-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

It was sweet redemption for Marsh after he had earlier claimed Masood in similar fashion, only to be called for a front-foot no-ball.

The Western Australian is currently the leading run-scorer of the series while serving as Australia’s fifth bowling option after taking over the role from his fellow Sandgroper Cameron Green during the Ashes.

During the Perth Test, Marsh toppled Pakistan superstar Babar Azam in the first innings with a gorgeous outswinger that kissed the outside edge. It’s partly why he controversially received player of the match honours ahead of centurion David Warner.

Since the start of 2019, Marsh has taken 12 Test wickets at 28.16, which are handy numbers to say the least.

In overcast conditions, he swings the Kookaburra more than Australia’s frontline quicks, which could make him a genuine threat in New Zealand next month. Marsh may have lost some pace over the years, but the skills remain intact.

“It’s always an important role as an all-rounder to make sure you’re contributing,” Marsh explained to reporters in the post-match press conference.

“It’s not always wickets. Whether you can hold an end up or just give guys a break.

“I’ve always prided myself on I guess trying to contribute to the team

“The four bowlers that we have will go down as one of the best four that’s ever played the game, so they do most of the bowling and they’ve been incredible.”

SHAFIQUE’S SHOCKER

Slips catching is not Abdullah Shafique’s only concern at the moment.

The Pakistan opener had enjoyed a stellar start to his Test career, notching four centuries in his first 16 Tests with an average of 47.50, before arriving in Australia last month.

But a flaw in Shafique’s batting technique has been exposed on Australia’s bouncy decks, with the right-hander falling victim to Mitchell Starc in consecutive innings.

Starc’s first delivery of the New Year’s Test hooped into Shafique on a good length, with the Kookaburra thudding into his thigh guard. The new ball was a touch fuller and a touch wider, luring Shafique into attempting an expansive drive through the covers.

But this delivery didn’t swing, with the outside edge flying towards Steve Smith at second slip. Shafique departed for a second-ball duck, leaving Pakistan in early trouble at 1-0.

“He’s just had a little poke at that one. That is the shot of a player that’s lacking in confidence,” Isa Guha said on Fox Cricket commentary.

The dismissal was almost identical to Shafique’s wicket in the second innings of the Boxing Day Test, when Starc removed the Pakistan opener for 4.

On both occasions Shafique’s front foot was pointing down the wicket, meaning his off stump was still visible while performing the cover drive.

Because he could not effectively transfer his weight towards the off side, the Pakistani was reaching away from his body, leaving a wide gap between bat and pad.

“That’s a poor shot,” Australian legend Mark Waugh said.

“He will want that shot back, Shafique. It’s just a loose, wafting drive on the up. I just wonder whether that catching is starting to affect his confidence.”

Shafique has registered scores of 42, 2, 62, 4 and 0 in the series to date, with his Test batting average slipping from 50.83 to 45.86. Having also dropped four slips catches, it has been a series to forget for the talented Pakistan youngster.