Australia’s Pat Cummins has achieved a remarkable feat at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground. On the second day of the World Test Championship final, Cummins single-handedly dismantled South Africa with the ball. He took 6 wickets for just 28 runs, bowling out the opposition for 138 and giving Australia a first-innings lead of 74 runs.
With this outstanding performance, Cummins also reached a significant personal milestone—he entered the elite club of bowlers with 300 Test wickets. Additionally, he became the first captain in history to take 6 wickets in an innings at Lord’s.
Cummins began his demolition late on Day 1 by bowling Wiaan Mulder. He returned in the morning with even more venom, dismissing South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma with the help of a stunning catch from Marnus Labuschagne.
However, the real damage came after lunch. Though South Africa showed some resistance before the break, they crumbled in the face of Cummins’ devastating spell. In a single over, he removed Kyle Verreynne and Marco Jansen. In his next spell, he dismissed the well-set David Bedingham. He then picked up the final wicket of the innings, completing his brilliant six-wicket haul.
This exceptional bowling display not only put Australia in control of the match but also etched Pat Cummins’ name into the pages of cricketing history.
A Record-Breaking Performance
- Cummins is the first captain to take five or more wickets in an ICC final.
- He now holds the record for most five-wicket hauls by a Test captain in history.
- He is the 40th player overall and the eighth Australian to enter the 300 Test wickets club.
At the end of the innings, Cummins said,
“At lunch, it felt like they were batting well, but then everything changed. Taking the lead in the first innings feels fantastic.”
Regarding the 300-wicket milestone, he added,
“It’s more than I ever imagined. For a fast bowler, 300 is a huge number. To reach this point through injuries and pain—it means a lot to me.”
