Pat Cummins Shatters Records with Six-Wicket Haul in World Test Championship Final
Cummins Dominates Day Two at Lord's
On June 13, during the World Test Championship final at the iconic Lord's in London, Australia’s captain Pat Cummins showcased his exceptional bowling skills, achieving a remarkable six-wicket haul against South Africa. This performance has left the outcome of the prestigious title hanging in the balance.
Cummins dismantled the South African batting lineup, finishing with impressive figures of 6 for 28 in 18.1 overs, giving the defending champions a slight edge in the first innings. With this achievement, he became the eighth Australian and the 40th player globally to surpass the 300-wicket mark in Test cricket.
At 32 years old, Cummins is now the fifth-fastest bowler to reach this milestone, having taken 300 wickets in just 13,725 deliveries, edging past West Indies legend Malcolm Marshall by three balls. His bowling strike rate of 45.75 balls per wicket is the best among Australian seamers.
Additionally, Cummins has matched the record of Pakistan's Imran Khan, becoming the joint 10th fastest to achieve 300 wickets, accomplishing this feat in 68 Test matches. As captain of the Australian team, he has claimed 136 wickets, with only Imran Khan having a superior record of 187 wickets among pace bowling captains.
He is also the second Australian to secure 200 wickets in World Test Championship history, leading the list of fast bowlers with 206 wickets at an average of 22.11 runs.
In terms of annual performance, Cummins holds the record for the best average by an Australian pacer with over 50 wickets in a calendar year. In 2019, he averaged 20.13 with 59 wickets, surpassing Dennis Lillee's achievement in 1981, where Lillee took 85 wickets at an average of 20.95 runs.
As Australia found themselves struggling at 144 for 8 at the end of the second day, they will rely on their captain once more. After a dismal start at 73 for 7, a resilient partnership of 61 runs between Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc provided some much-needed stability.