Australia may have already secured a place in World Cup semi-finals with seven wins in eight games but speedster Pat Cummins reckons his team hasn't yet performed to the level it actually can. Cummins, beneath his words, issued a warning for the rest of the nations participating at the quadrennial event in England and Wales. The defending champions next take on struggling South Africa on Saturday (July 6) at Old Trafford.
"I think just everything’s clicked, the batting, the bowling, our game plan is the way we’ve wanted to play. Even just everyone being comfortable in their roles and comfortable around each other. I think it takes time but everyone’s in a really good place," Cummins told reporters.
"The thing we have spoken about, we have managed to scrape home wins without really putting through a complete performance. With each game, we have got a little bit better."
Cummins, who has taken 12 wickets in eight innings this World Cup thus far, also talked about the change in role as first-change bowler since left-arm quick Jason Behrendorff has walked in and started partnering Mitchell Starc with the new ball.
"I think it’s a massive change. I think it’s a lot different to say red ball cricket where the ball kind of stays hard and there might be some swing on offer."
"I think it’s kind of outside of those first eight to 10 overs, there is no swing, the ball is not as hard, normally the batters are set."
"Jason and Starcy have been brilliant up front. My role is to just try and hold them a little bit and hopefully they take a risk. It (feels) like I have done that job pretty well," he added.
A dead-rubber alright but the game against South Africa will be the first for Steve Smith and David Warner versus this opponent since their comeback to international scene after 12-month for proven involvement in last year's ball-tampering incident.
The duo has done well, especially Warner who is currently the leading run-getter of the tournament with 516 runs at 73.71, including two outstanding hundreds.
"I know Dave and Smithy have played quite a bit with (South Africa’s players) in IPL and played heaps of times before so I wouldn’t have thought so," Cummins said with regards to whether there will be angst amidst Proteas and Aussie players because of what transpired during Cape Town Test in March 2018.
(Inputs from Reuters)
