Pat Cummins: The Australian vice-captain opened up on playing without spectators and losing a match which they should have won.
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Australia T20I vice-captain Pat Cummins has admitted that playing the first T20I against England in Southampton yesterday was “strange” because of the absence of spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It, for sure, was strange. We know what we were signing up for, but until Starcy’s [Mitchell Starc] bowling that first over and you can hear a pin drop, it’s just weird. After a couple of overs we got into it, but it’s just odd that unless we create the noise out in the field there is absolutely no noise happening.
“So a bit of an adjustment, but everyone has played enough cricket. It’s certainly different being over here in England and not hearing some of the songs,” Cummins was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Cummins, who had talked about playing IPL 2020 without spectators during the lockdown, must have realized what it feels to play an international match behind closed doors. It is worth mentioning that Cummins had played an ODI against New Zealand in an empty SCG stadium in March as well.
“It’s a shame,” Pat Cummins reacts on losing Southampton T20I vs England
Cummins, who bowled first-change and conceded 24 runs in three overs including the wicket of England opening batsman Jonny Bairstow (8), was at the non-striker’s end when Australia lost a match which they should’ve won ideally.
Agreeing that Australia seemed to be winning the match for most part, Cummins laid emphasis on needing to score a couple of boundaries around the 15th over to firm their grip on the match. The 27-year old player was also vocal about players reviewing the performance on an individually level before the second T20I tomorrow.
“I thought for 80% or 90% of the game we played really well, we were on top, in a commanding position and just the last third of the batting innings we let it slip, a few wickets. I felt at times like we were only two boundaries away from the game finishing in about the 15th over.
“So, it’s a shame, something we’re going to have to try to get better at, it’s happened a few times, so I’m sure every one of us will review in our own way and think about what we could’ve done differently. But for sure, you should be winning just about every game in that position,” Cummins said.
