Australian paceman Pat Cummins has weighed into the simmering feud between chief selector Rod Marsh and Test great Shane Warne by admitting he had expected to play the Ashes dead rubber Test at The Oval.
But the rising talent has no hard feelings against the Australian selectors for opting instead for veteran Peter Siddle, who produced a match-winning bowling performance to secure a victory which sent the retiring Michael Clarke and Chris Rogers out winners.
In the days leading up to the match, the popular opinion was that Cummins would just edge out Siddle as the replacement for Josh Hazlewood, who was rested having played the first four Tests.
He was then unwittingly dragged into the selection debate by Warne, who was left stunned by the decision to pick the 30-year-old Siddle over one of Australia's brightest young stars.
Warne lashed Marsh over the decision, arguing it would prove far more valuable to pick Cummins as he would be more likely to travel to Bangladesh for October's two-Test series.
Siddle starred, taking match figures of 6-67 to reignite his Test career, and Cummins holds no grudges about how it played out - despite admitting he felt he was going to gain selection.
"Yeah, I did (think I was going to play). I was preparing to play. I was ready to go," he said.
"But I also knew how well Siddsy had been bowling the whole trip, especially in some of the earlier games before the first Test. He bowled brilliantly apparently.
"So I knew there was one spot and there was two of us going for it, so I was ready to play.
"(It was) disappointing not to get a run but I saw why Siddsy got picked - he bowled brilliantly."
The 22-year-old was satisfied with the explanation offered to him about why he was overlooked.
Truth be told, he hadn't expected to be in England at all for the series - having been called up from Australia A's tour of India on the eve of the first Test following Ryan Harris' sudden retirement.
"Yeah, it's one of those 50-50 calls," he said.
"I guess I thought I was going to be with Aussie A in Chennai, so I was just happy to be in the Ashes Tour.
"Not every selection goes your way unfortunately, but I'm happy it was for Siddle who had been going so well."
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