Australia have provided great entertainment this summer but make no mistakes, they would have lost the series 3-2 if it hadn’t rained in Manchester
It says they are Test world champions on the tin, and they may be going home with the Ashes again.
But Australia still haven’t won a series in England since 2001, they choked like a garrote at The Oval and they were running scared of Bazball. Rank has its privileges, so let’s give the captain his due. Pat Cummins will go down as the Aussie skipper who went 2-0 up in England â and he blew it.
Rarely, since Kerry Packer’s new order in Australian cricket, has there been such a collection of faint hearts and flaky temperaments under those Baggy Green caps. If it hadn’t rained in Manchester, they would have lost 3-2.
And Cummins goes home with the unique souvenir of his team being booed in the Long Room at Lord’s, where he missed the chance to make a statement for sportsmanship when Jonny Bairstow was ‘stumped.’