After hitting the big milestone of 300 Test wickets in the ICC World Test Championship final, Australia captain Pat Cummins was really excited, saying it’s more than he ever hoped for. The right-arm fast bowler achieved his 14th five-wicket haul, taking an amazing 6-28 and helping to dismiss South Africa for 138 runs on day two at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Thursday. With this performance, Cummins became just the eighth Aussie bowler to reach over 300 Test wickets.
“It’s way more than I could have asked for. Three hundred is a big number, and I’ve had to deal with some injuries and still managed to perform well in different conditions, so I’m pretty happy,” Cummins said in an interview.
He also made history by being the first fast-bowling captain to take a five-wicket haul at Lord’s since 1982. So far in the 2023-25 WTC cycle, Cummins has bagged 79 wickets at an average of 23.03. He noted that the playing conditions offered challenges for both batters and bowlers.
“When the ball gets a little softer, it’s not as lively, but there are still a few balls that nip. If you bowl well, it’s tough for the batters, so there’s something to work with for both sides,” he mentioned.
Thanks to Cummins’ efforts, Australia is now 74 runs ahead in the first innings and looks in a good position to beat South Africa and keep hold of the World Test Championship title they won against India in 2023.