“It was awesome,” a smiling Cummins said after the game. “Sometimes, I had to remember I was in the middle of a cricket field; it was a fantastic game. They just kept coming at us. It was fantastic.”
Starc missed his line and gave five wides on the second ball of the final over, leaving New Zealand needing 13 runs from five. Neesham took the ball to the outfield three times in a row, but tight fielding – particularly from Marnus Labuschagne, repeatedly putting it into the yard at deep midwicket – ensured there were no boundaries. Cummins appreciated it.
“Marnus, out there, throwing yourself around, it’s not the easiest ground out here (to field on),” he said. “But the way the guys threw themselves around, made the catches, it made a big difference.”
“I love it,” Cummins said of the partnership. “Especially Trav, who’s been away for five weeks to get back into the game; just his intent – this is the way we want to play, we want to take the game forward and he stepped up and led the way.”
When Cummins was asked whether Head had shown any signs of being in such form before the game, he said, “Not really.” “He was close to playing against the Netherlands and he got hurt the day before (in the nets), just wasn’t feeling well. (Then he) managed to do a few more before that (in the nets). He gave everyone Surprised us.”