First time in a decade: Aussie bowling quartet on track for rare achievement against Windies
Pat Cummins didn’t think it possible. At the start of the summer, he doubted Australia’s three-pronged pace attack could go the distance of five consecutive Tests.
But after cleaning up the West Indies inside three days in the first Test in Adelaide, Cummins expects himself, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood to achieve the feat.
“It’s trending that way,” Cummins said after the 10-wicket trouncing of the West Indies.
“Always give it a day or two to see how everyone pulls up but I think everyone is in a good spot.
“At the start of the summer I didn’t think it was going to be the case.
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“But it’s shaping up that way which is a huge nod to the fitness of the guys and the medical team and a couple of helpful wickets.”
Josh Hazelwood of Australia holds up the ball after his fifth wicket in Adelaide. (Photo by Mark Brake – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
Australia haven’t fielded the same four bowlers for five straight Tests since the 2013/14 Ashes series when Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris and spinner Nathan Lyon carried the load.
And the current bowling crop of Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon are in fine form ahead of the second Test against the West Indies starting Wednesday in Brisbane.
In the recently completed three-Test series against Pakistan, Cummins took 19 wickets, Lyon 13, Starc 12 and Hazlewood 11.
In the series-opener against the West Indies, Hazlewood dominated with nine wickets for the match.
“He’s flying at the moment … all conditions, he finds a way,” Cummins said of Hazlewood.
“As a captain, it’s pretty easy to give him the ball and just know he’s going to go to work.”
Cummins said Hazlewood was reaping the reward of returning to peak fitness after injuries forced him out of last year’s World Test Championship final, the tour of India, and parts of the last Australian summer.
“In terms of getting your body ready for Test cricket, once you’re up there it’s okay,” Cummins said.
“But if you have an injury or setback, it’s sometimes hard to get going.
“He just had some injuries at the wrong times over the last couple of years and missed a couple of key series.
“But he’s back to the Joshy that we all remember and know.”