Pat Cummins says Aussies out to re-establish connection with fans in wake of ball-tampering scandal
PAT Cummins is spearheading CA’s determined drive to repair its broken image and reconnect with the fan base left so heavily disillusioned by the South Africa ball-tampering scandal.
Cricket
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News.
CRICKET Australia has launched a new advertising campaign to try to take the bubble boys out of the bubble.
Fast bowling star Pat Cummins is nearing an on-field return for NSW at the end of this month, but he is already back spearheading CA’s determined drive to repair its broken image and reconnect with the fan base left so heavily disillusioned by the ball-tampering scandal.
Cummins is expected to find newfound prominence as one of the ‘faces’ of the game, and admits players had become insular and lost sight of their true duty as custodians.
TIM PAINE: ‘We have to ne Australia’s team’
Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft have been sentenced to community service as part of their punishment, but there’s a feeling this should in fact become a more prominent part of every cricketer’s contract.
In the advertising campaign titled “It’s Your Game”, several players including Glenn Maxwell and coach Justin Langer surprise some of their most passionate fans and showcase a human side to the men wearing baggy green that’s been largely hidden over recent years.
Sydney Sixers players Stephen O’Keefe and Lauren Cheatle have their say on Steve Smith’s Big Bash ban, how they are tracking ahead of next summer and O’Keefe opens up about the most difficult season in his career.
You can download Cricket Unfiltered from the iTunes store
In the most moving of the series of promos, Cummins pops in on an inspiring young Sydney-sider named Sasha, who despite being forced to stop playing cricket due to his challenging journey with cerebral palsy, has lost none of his zest.
Cummins says the players have done some soul-searching since South Africa.
“It was a time where we all sat back and reassessed things and personally identified how much of a bubble we live in,” said Cummins.
“Touring all the time, I think it just reaffirmed to us we do live in a bubble but what we’re doing, we’re just playing a game of cricket, primarily for the fans out there. Sometimes you lose that connection.
“This kind of idea resonated because it was exactly that. It was going out hearing everyone else’s stories. Hearing how passionate people are and trying to build that connection up.
“Sasha hasn’t been able to play the last couple of years, but he’s taken up table tennis as his sport of choice and he absolutely smacked me. He’s just a great story.”
After suffering a back injury earlier in the year, Cummins is back bowling off his long run and is targeting a return for NSW late in this month’s one-day Cup with a view to leading Australia’s charge in the ODI series against South Africa in early November.
Cummins is planning to touch base with bowling mentor Dennis Lillee but is confident he doesn’t need to make any changes to his technique to stay on the park for the summer.
“I only just missed the UAE (Test tour against Pakistan in October) but I’ll basically be right for everything other than that,” he said.
“I’m almost at 100 per cent. I’ll bowl off my full run-up for a few more weeks and I may play one or two of the one-day cup games for NSW and hopefully one or two grade games or second XI games leading into the ODIs against South Africa.”
Get ready for cricket like never before. FREE Sport HD + Entertainment until the first 4K cricket ball as part of 3 months free on a 12 month plan. SIGN UP TODAY. T&Cs apply.