"Different now": Cummins' rationale for costly toss decision

Australia has been humbled in South Africa, suffering an almighty batting collapse on day five to lose the third Test and the series 2-1.

Entering day five with 288 to chase down, Australia never looked likely. Losing two wickets in the first over, the visitors found themselves at 6/42 through just 18 overs, before bowing out with a measly 111 runs.

It was a series that left more questions than answers over the future of the nation’s Test setup, with a batting order far from settled, a seriously ageing attack and a lack of clear and obvious talent coming through.

Captain Pat Cummins could only sum it up with a single word.

“Disappointment. We turned up today feeling like we were in with a real shot. Way off the mark today – we didn’t even really give ourselves a chance,” he told SEN Cricket.

“I don’t think you get these opportunities too often in away tours.

“We put ourselves squarely in a winning position a couple of times and just weren’t able to nail it. A couple of times with the bat and a couple times with the ball.

“They played really well as well – they absorbed a lot of the pressure at times, big partnerships that didn’t let us in.

“We just wish we could have another crack at some of those moments.”

When wickets fell, they fell fast across the series in South Africa.

There was no better reflection of just that as we saw in Australia’s final innings.

“As a bowling side, that’s what you want,” Cummins said.

“Back-to-back wickets have been a trend here this whole series, but once you get yourself in, it can be pretty hard to dislodge.

“Unfortunately, a few of our guys didn’t really give themselves a chance – got out facing single digit balls. It’s hard to come back.”

It’s yet another reflection of Australia’s ongoing batting collapses.

“It’s those little moments where you feel like the pace of the game can be one relatively stable pace, and then within a session you can lose it,” he continued.

“We’ve got to get better at that, identify those moments a lot quicker. That can be the difference and probably was in this series.”

Much has been made of Cummins’ decision to bowl first – South Africa got off to a hot start in the first innings, and while Australia capitalised on day two, chasing on day five proved far too difficult.

Despite many believing it was the wrong call at the toss, Cummins believes it didn’t play as much a part.

“It’s obviously a bit different looking at it now when you see how the game plays out,” he said.

“On the morning of day one, we knew it was going to be high scoring and go the full five days.

“We thought, if we can take 10 wickets on day one – not necessarily in one session but that day, finishing 10 down – you’re a long way in front of the game in these long, drawn up matches.

“It probably did a little bit less than we thought, but we lost by 200 - I don’t think the toss made too much of a difference.”

The Australian selectors, headed by George Bailey, have several difficult decisions ahead, with the side returning home ahead of the first Test against New Zealand in Perth in just over a month’s time.

“A few weeks ago, you pick a side or a squad that you think is good enough to win over here but it wasn’t the case,” Cummins said.

“We’ve got a few weeks before Perth, the selectors will get together and pick a squad and a team that they think is going to do a job against New Zealand.

“We will wait and see if there’s changes – there were a few changes this week, a few of those guys stepped in and did a great job.

“Different country, different opposition, we will give it a bit of time.”

Much of the conversation around selection surrounds the nation’s ageing unit – Only Cam Green and Cooper Connolly entered South Africa aged under 30.

Cummins believes there are a number of talents waiting in the wings.

“I think we get that – Cooper Connolly came in this week, Josh Inglis – even Matt Kuhnemann, a couple of those guys around the squad,” he said.

“There’s plenty of energy there, plenty of ideas and freshness.

“We will wait and see, but the good thing is there’s lots of other guys that are around that, if they do need to step up, they are ready to go.”

Much was made of the decision to pick Marnus Labuschagne despite his evident struggles for form.

Just four runs across both innings in the third Test suggests the decision was a poor one.

“It’s tough. Obviously, he came into the series with not as many runs as he would have liked recently,” Cummins said.

“You are a bit in the lion’s den when your name comes up at every press conference and all of those kinds of things.

“Unfortunate series for him, but he was awesome. Got a great run-out for us yesterday, great energy around the squad. It takes a big man to be like that, and he’s been excellent.”

With the series loss, Australia have slipped from the top of the Test world rankings for the first time in over two and a half years.

Cummins wouldn’t call it a wake-up call as captain of the nation.

“We’ve had a few (wake-up calls) recently,” he said.

“Losing to Bangladesh in Darwin (for one). There’s been a few escapes, finding ways to win when we’re nowhere near our best.

“I don’t think it’s a wake-up call, but it probably highlights a few areas that we need to get better at.”

Australia will now head home ahead of a huge Test series against New Zealand, commencing in Perth on December 9.

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