London, UK – Australian captain Pat Cummins expressed his disappointment and gave credit where it was due after his side’s five-wicket defeat to South Africa in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s. The Proteas, chasing 282 for victory, sealed their maiden WTC title thanks to a masterful century from Aiden Markram and a resilient half-century from captain Temba Bavuma.
“A Bridge Too Far” – Cummins on Australia’s Batting Collapse
Cummins acknowledged that Australia, despite securing a crucial 74-run first-innings lead, failed to capitalize on it in their second innings. “Things can change quickly in cricket, but it was a bridge too far,” Cummins stated in the post-match presentation. “There were a few things that we didn’t do right. We didn’t bat out the opposition after a decent first-innings lead.”
Australia’s second innings saw them slump to 207 all out, a total that provided the South African batsmen with a manageable target. Cummins hinted at concerns within the top order, stating, “There are concerns in the top-seven, guys have performed well in the last two years.”
Markram and Bavuma’s Game-Changing Partnership
The turning point of the match undoubtedly came with the 147-run partnership between Aiden Markram (136) and Temba Bavuma (66) in South Africa’s second innings. This formidable stand effectively shut Australia out of the contest.
“Aiden and Temba didn’t give us a chance,” Cummins frankly admitted. “South Africa showed why they’re here and are deserved winners, they kept themselves in the game throughout.”
He praised Markram’s composure and ability to keep the scoreboard ticking, making batting look “easy out there” despite Australia’s best efforts.
Bowlers Fought Hard, But Wickets Eluded Them
Despite the loss, Cummins lauded the efforts of his bowling unit, particularly in the initial stages of the match. “Bowlers did well in the first two days. We gave everything a chance, Lyon bowled particularly well but didn’t get a wicket,” he noted, referring to Nathan Lyon’s tireless but unrewarded spell. Cummins himself had an excellent individual performance, picking up six wickets in South Africa’s first innings.
Looking Ahead: A New WTC Cycle and West Indies Tour
The Australian skipper, while disappointed with the outcome, remained philosophical about the final, recognizing the nature of a one-off decider. “This is the pinnacle, I love Test cricket. Huge achievement to make the final, one-game shootout is a spectacle, didn’t end up on the right side but it’s been a great week.”
Australia will now quickly shift their focus to the upcoming three-Test series in the West Indies, which marks the beginning of the next World Test Championship cycle. Cummins expressed a desire to “dust ourselves off and turnaround in a couple of weeks and start looking ahead to the next one.”
