Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh hit out at Pat Cummins as Australia unravels

Australian greats Ricky Ponting and Mark Waugh have taken aim at a rattled Pat Cummins during what is being described as his worst Test ever.

After 15 consecutive days of unimaginably tight and tense cricket, one team finally blinked.

And now Australia’s grip on the Ashes is frighteningly tenuous.

Through the first three Test matches neither side had been able to truly dominate its opponent, until Zak Crawley went bang, Pat Cummins got rattled and the floodgates opened.

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The most one-sided day of this series was arguably Cummins’ worst in Test cricket, certainly one of his most exposing as captain.

After wasting an ideal opportunity to set up a large first innings total on day one, Australia was slapped around like a second-tier country as Crawley scored 189 at better than a run-a-ball and England finished 4/384 at stumps with a lead of 67 runs.

The Aussies were knocked over for 317 before lunch and were already trailing midway through the third session as they finally felt the full force of Bazball.

No one had a worse day than Cummins.

Pat Cummins had a ‘mare. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

He was out first ball of the day driving recklessly, criticised by Ricky Ponting for not taking the new ball, dropped a catch, forgot to back-up a throw that went for extra runs and was punished in the overs he bowled.

Cummins’ field placements appeared erratic and were again put under the microscope as he failed to contain Crawley and gave Joe Root (84) the warmest of welcomes at the start of his innings before he too got away.

At one point to Crawley the Aussies had a fly slip, a fly gully and a deep backward point and it left an exasperated Mark Waugh tweeting: “I just can’t get my head around these Aust field placements on the off side.”

Two fly slips and a deep point. That is … different. #Ashespic.twitter.com/h0t8r7s2l0

— Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) July 20, 2023

The slip cordoned was emptied seven balls into Root’s innings and Nasser Hussain was cutting with his comments about Australia’s rudderless approach.

“They have been sloppy, haven’t they, Australia? Probably their poorest day of the series,” he said.

“They have been scrappy. Dropped catches. Fielders haven’t picked up balls. Lots of players waving their arms around.

“Often when you look down on the Australian side historically you know who the captain is, whether it be Taylor, Border, Ponting Waugh.

“If you look down today there have been a lot of cricketers waving their arms around trying to help their captain, Cummins.”

Cummins finished with 0/93 from 16 overs to be the clear weak link in the Aussie pace attack.

Mitchell Starc (2/74 from 15 overs), Josh Hazlewood (1/62 from 15) and Cameron Green (1/40 from 10) were all far more economical as England appeared to target the Aussie skipper.

The decision to enter the match without a frontline spinner was also debated after Travis Head (0/48 from six overs) was quickly hit out of the contest.

Australia's David Warner (C) shakes the hand of England's Zak Crawley after his monster innings. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

Everything went right for England - even the gamble to bat Moeen Ali at first drop paid off as he delivered a half century.

Rain now looms as Australia’s only hope.

It would be one of the least satisfying ways to retain the Ashes — being saved by the weather in a match you’re being dominated in.

But if the Aussies can bat long enough on day three and the rain arrives on the weekend they may be able to avoid heading to The Oval with the series still alive.

And given what we saw today that’s now a prospect they’ll be keen to avoid because all the momentum is with England.

3am - Starc off the field with shoulder injury

Mitchell Starc went down clutching his shoulder after an awkward diving attempt to stop the ball in the field late in the day.

The Aussie quick landed on the point of the shoulder on his bowling arm and was down for an extended period before exiting the field.

In a rare piece of good news for the Aussies though he was back on the field within 10 minutes, indicating he’ll be fine to play a part in the rest of the match.

Australia's Pat Cummins (L) checks on Australia's Mitchell Starc (R) who has hurt his shoulder in the field. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

2.40am - Root gone too as Hazlewood strikes

Shane Warne always said you were only two quick wickets away from being back on top - but this innings might prove the exception.

Australia added Joe Root’s scalp to Zak Crawley’s within a five-over period but the hosts are hardly in a panic at 4/351.

Still, it was nice for Josh Hazlewood to see a ball that barely bounced crash in to Root’s stumps after such a barren day at the office.

Root was out for 84 off just 95 deliveries.

2.20am - Crawley drags on just short of double century

On a day like today Australia has to look to the smallest of victories - and its been able to deny Zak Crawley a double ton.

The Old Trafford crowd stood as one to acknowledge Crawley’s historic innings after he dragged a Cameron Green delivery on to his stumps on 189.

Coming from just 182 balls, Crawley flayed the Aussie attack to move to the top of the list of run scorers in the series and leave England in a dominant position at 3/336.

A handful of Australian fielders ran to shake Crawley’s hand before he departed the field.

2.10am - England has the lead

The Poms passed Australia’s first innings score for the loss of just two wickets and inside 55 overs - and fittingly it came via a Zak Crawley down-the-ground six.

The visitors have officially moved in to game management mode as a draw becomes their only realistic result.

Mike Atherton criticised the selection of Cameron Green as Australia’s pace bowlers toil away without the help of a frontline spinner.

“This is the selection really. Clearly Mitch Marsh deserved his place after the Headingley game,” Atherton said.

“He looked very sketchy with the bat, didn’t he, Cameron Green? And he has only been utilised for five overs here. So that’s where Australia, I’m sure if they could have their time again, would think about matters more carefully.”

1.30am - Crawley passes 150 as Aussies have no answers

Australia’s lead is under 50 runs as Zak Crawley passes 150 and the onslaught continues.

His run-a-ball knock is the fastest 150 at Old Trafford in Test history. Joe Root also brought up his half century early in the third session as the pitch looks flat and Australia’s bowlers look flatter.

12.40am - Second session is a bloodbath

England heads to tea having added 178 runs in 25 overs in the second session - just brutal numbers for Australia.

Zak Crawley is 132 not out off 128 balls, having added 100 runs in the session, and Joe Root is 44 off 35.

After Crawley and Moeen Ali (54) added 121 for the second wicket, Crawley and Root have already put on 109 for the third in just 13.5 overs.

“Australia had no answer at all,” Mike Atherton said in commentary.

My god: England score 178 for 1 between lunch and tea, from 25 overs, with Crawley moving from 26 to 132. Hard to remember a worse session for Australia.

— Lawrence Booth (@BoothCricket) July 20, 2023

Pat Cummins (0/56 from nine overs) topped the list of some quite ugly bowling figures. Josh Hazlewood (0/41 from seven), Mitch Marsh (0/19 from three) and Mitchell Starc (2/50 from 11) also copped it.

And the spin department in the absence of Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy? Let’s just say it’s been a struggle as Travis Head (0/48 from six overs) proves a poor replacement.

This whole Travis-Head-as-your-sole-spinner thing is working out well. #Ashes

— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) July 20, 2023

It gets worse too as Starc, Australia’s only wicket taker, appears to be struggling with a tight hamstring.

The sight of thousands of England fans singing “The Great Escape” during the tea break was surely symbolic of where this series appears to be heading for the home side after they trailed 2-0.

12.05am - Crawley reaches his hundred off 93 balls

Zak Crawley is beginning to have a real say in how this series is decided after notching his first century against Australia.

The English opener had been steady without really going on with it in every match to this point, scoring at least one knock of 40-plus in the first three Tests.

But he’s gone big today, reaching his 100 off 93 balls to set a perfect platform for his country.

His second 50 came off just 26 balls as the Aussies unravel in the field.

Never expected to type this out at the start of this series but it’s safe to say that Zak Crawley currently seems to have Australia more rattled than even Ben Stokes did at Lord’s & Leeds. The fields & plans are changing literally every two deliveries #Ashes

— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) July 20, 2023

11.35pm - Khawaja screamer snaps partnership

Mitchell Starc has split the dangerous partnership with some incredible fielding by Usman Khawaja at mid-wicket.

Moeen Ali looked to pull a Starc delivery through the on side but his shot sailed in Khawaja’s vicinity who dove to his right and snapped the ball up.

England batsman Moeen Ali is caught out by Usman Khawaja. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

11.30pm - Danger signs looming for Australia

Pat Cummins’ defensive fields and non-stop approach of having his bowlers deliver short balls is causing major concerns for the Aussies on day two.

Despite a few scares for Zak Crawley, the England opener and Moeen Ali have looked as safe as houses as they bring the margin down.

Without a frontline spinner Cummins threw the ball to part-timer Travis Head, but he lasted only two overs before he was pulled from the rotation.

Head gave up 19 runs as Crawley and Ali went after the inexperienced offspiner.

10.30pm - Mark Waugh fumes over Aussie field placements

It’s been a topic of conversation throughout the Ashes and on day two of the fourth Test Australian cricket great Mark Waugh poured fuel on the fire.

Pat Cummins has copped it from all corners over his defensive field placements in an effort to try and curtail England’s Bazball approach.

Fielders have been placed on the rope, offering up easy singles instead of attempting to lure the Poms into risky shots.

Waugh had enough on day two and let his frustrations out on social media.

“I just can’t get my head around these Aust field placements on the off side,” he wrote.

“Tall, good pace, fast bowlers often hitting the splice of the bat with no fieldsmen near the bat between 4/5th slip and mid off. Hang on there is a backward point for Starc v Ali.”

10.05pm - Lunch on day 2

The opening session of the second day goes the way of England.

With two quick wickets to clean up the Australian tail the Poms set about their first innings but were dealt an early hiccup.

Mitchell Starc struck to remove Ben Duckett, but then it was all Zak Crawley and Moeen Ali as they ticked the scoreboard over.

Crawley survived several close calls with two edges falling short of the slip cordon before he successfully overturned umpire Joel Wilson’s LBW decision with an instant review.

9.50pm - Crawley survives another close call

Cameron Green thought he had his man after a delivery thumped into the pads of the opener.

An emphatic appeal from the Aussie contingent saw the finger raised by the umpire, but Crawley sent it upstairs immediately for review.

The DRS proved to be his saving grace with the final indicator showing the ball had swung too much and was missing leg stump.

9.40pm - Poms settle after early fight

Moeen Ali and Zak Crawley have wrestled back the momentum after Australia got on top in the early going.

Ali retained his spot at first drop and has displayed a steady head and he and Crawley keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Crawley has survived some minor scares with several edges falling short of the slip cordon.

Surprisingly, Pat Cummins handed the new ball to Josh Hazlewood, instead of partnering Mitchell Starc.

It left Ricky Ponting perplexed.

“It’s actually a question I can’t answer,” Ponting said.

“The only thing is if it was a match-up-type thing or Hazelwood obviously potentially being a little bit fresher coming into this game than what Cummins particularly is.

“He has gone too long getting himself into the attack as well. There has been enough happening. A few gone past the outside of the bat. Edges that haven’t quite carried. Cummins has to get himself into the attack and quickly.”

8.55pm - Starc strikes first blood

The ideal start for Australia with Mitchell Starc removing Ben Duckett in the early stages of England’s first innings.

A perfect delivery from the left armer moved away from Duckett and caught a feather of his edge before Alex Carey claimed it in his gloves.

8.35pm - Woakes cleans up Hazlewood

Chris Woakes has claimed a five-wicket haul after removing Australia’s final wicket of Josh Hazlewood.

A nothing prod outside of off stump flew off the edge of Hazlewood’s bat and into the hands of Ben Duckett at slip.

Australia tallied 317 runs with England now expected to go all out with the willow in hand as they look to level the series up.

8pm - Cummins’ idiocy called out

One ball down and one wicket gone.

A full delivery from James Anderson lured Pat Cummins into a drive but his shot sailed into the awaiting hands of Ben Stokes at cover.

Fans watching on couldn’t believe the shot attempt on the opening ball of the day from Cummins when Australia were desperate to pile runs on the board.

The innings almost came to an end during the very next over when Josh Hazlewood edge a ball to the slip cordon, he was saved by a Chris Woakes no ball.

7.30pm – Aussie legend calls out selection ‘mistake’

For the first time in 11 years, Australia entered a Test match without a front line spinner after electing to drop Todd Murphy in favour of Cameron Green.

The decision means the Aussies are reliant upon five fast bowlers while likely getting pinch hits from Travis Head and potentially even Marnus Labuschagne.

It’s a decision that didn’t go over well with former Australian captain Steve Waugh who labelled it a “mistake”.

“I tend to disagree with it,” Waugh said on SEN radio. “I think it’s a mistake, particularly in Manchester where the ball does turn.

“I know they’re probably looking at the forecast and saying there’s a bit of rain around, but you do need variation in the attack.

“Particularly with the way England plays. They go at the bowlers really hard and we’ve got four right-arm quick bowlers so there’s a bit of sameness about our attack.”

Fellow Australian icon Ricky Ponting also expressed his confusion after watching Moeen Ali generate some considerable spin on the opening day.

“I was still surprised they didn’t go in with [a spinner],” Ponting said about the Aussies.

“Your preference is always to go in with a spinner – unless you are brilliant at reading weather forecasts and cricket pitches. So if you haven’t got one, you can be found out very easy.”

Labuschagne however backed the decision of the selectors to go in without a top-line spinner, believing the wicket will play into the hands of Australia’s fast bowlers.

“Because the wicket has been undercover for a few days, it didn’t have that really rock-hardness,” Labuschagne said.

“And the thatchy grass is spinning. So once that wears off, I think the middle of the week it’s going to actually not spin so much.

“The ends will rough up, eventually, if the weather stays good. But I think it’s actually going to spin less as the game goes on from the good part of the wicket.”