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Cummins nabs 10 wickets in 1st Lanka Test

Pat Cummins has nabbed a 10-wicket haul to inspire Australia's crushing pink-ball first Test victory over Sri Lanka in Brisbane within three days.

Pat Cummins

A Pat Cummins (R) six-wicket haul has destroyed Sri Lanka on day three of the 1st Test in Brisbane. (AAP)

At least one drought has been been broken by the Australian cricket team.

Pat Cummins has become the first Australian bowler to grab a 10-wicket match haul this summer, ripping through Sri Lanka to inspire a crushing pink-ball first Test victory in Brisbane.

He claimed a career best 6-23 after his first-innings haul of 4-39, as Australia romped to victory by an innings and 40 runs in less than three days.

His overall figures of 10-62 marked the 25-year-old's first 10-wicket match haul of his 19-Test career.

His previous best match figures were 9-99 in the Boxing Day Test against India.

While Australia's batsmen are still searching for a Test ton, there appears to be nothing wrong with Cummins' radar.

He was installed as Australia's new vice-captain alongside Travis Head for the first Test against Sri Lanka after fellow quick Josh Hazlewood broke down with a back injury.

But the 25-year-old also claimed another title with his devastating Gabba spells - Australia's undoubted pace spearhead.

"If Pat Cummins bowls like he bowled in this Test match against anyone, he is going to take wickets," Australian captain Tim Paine said.

"I thought he was just relentless with his line and length. He gave them absolutely nothing to hit until the end when he was a little bit tired searching for another wicket.

"(But) he was at his best in this Test match."

After his fourth career five-wicket haul, Cummins boasts the best match bowling figures by an Australian against Sri Lanka in a Gabba Test.

He easily eclipsed Brett Lee's 8-112 in 2007 to collect man-of-the-match honours.

And Australia might need plenty more heroics from Cummins.

Australia are sweating on the fitness of Hazlewood who is racing the clock to prove his fitness for the 2019 World Cup.

And left-arm quick Mitchell Starc is under pressure after copping plenty of criticism for his erratic Gabba display against Sri Lanka.

Cummins picked up on Saturday where he left off after sensationally dismissing Dimuth Karunaratne with the final ball of the second day's play.

He struck with his second ball on Saturday with a rearing delivery to have captain Dinesh Chandimal caught in the gully.

Remarkably, Cummins had figures of 3-0 when he struck again with the first ball of his next over, removing danger man Kusal Mendis for one.

He made his own luck too.

Cummins grabbed scalp No.5 when Lahiru Thirimanne was given out caught behind for 32 on review despite snicko technology indicating the ball appeared to miss the bat.


3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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