London, June 13(HS): Australia captain Pat Cummins praised the ongoing World Test Championship final against South Africa as a strong representation of Test cricket, despite the likelihood of it concluding within three days. In the first two days, 28 wickets fell at Lord's, creating an electrifying atmosphere. Cummins excelled with the ball, securing 6 wickets for 28 runs and reaching 300 Test wickets. At the end of the second day, Australia had 144 runs for 8 wickets, leading by 218 runs. A vital 61-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Alex Carey (43) and Mitchell Starc (16*) significantly contributed to their position.

Cummins reflected on the match's balance, stating it felt even, with a positive atmosphere in the dressing room and acknowledging the difficulty for batsmen to score runs despite some settling in. He emphasized the disciplined bowling from both teams as pivotal to the match's quick pace. Cummins celebrated his 300 wickets as a special milestone, signifying durability. To secure victory on Friday, he underscored the need for Australia's bowlers to maintain their accuracy and discipline.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar