Pat Cummins clarifies leaving Carey stranded on cusp of heroic Hagley hundred

NZ vs AUS (Photo Source: X/Twitter)

Pat Cummins hit the winning runs in the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch. Alex Carey was batting on 98* when Australia needed just two runs to seal the victory. One can say Cummins might have been engrossed in the game as he was on strike, and aimed to seize the moment prirotising the ‘we over I’, while Carey awaited his much-deserved century. Cummins admitted to having missed out on the fact that his colleague was on the brink of a ton.

Both batters were on song in Christchurch as they stitched a partnership of 68 runs for the eighth wicket. While Cummins contributed 32 off 44 deliveries, which included four boundaries, Carey contributed a significant 27 runs of his innings to lead the way. The innings reminded of the Australian skipper’s similar innings in Edgbaston during the 2023 Ashes, where his side thwarted England by three wickets.

“Pretty tense, everyone was nervous the last couple of hours. Amazing win. (On winning runs) Anyway possible to win, I had no idea he (Carey) was on 98,” said Cummins in post-match presentation.

It was funny how quickly the match moved on Day 1: Cummins

The right-arm pacer was unapologetic about winning the all-important toss, which proved to be crucial as Australia capitalised on conditions conducive to bowling on a greenish Hagley surface. As a result, they bundled out the Kiwis for just 162 runs and took a lead of 94 runs on their way home. New Zealand, who had the baggage of a bad track record against Australia in the Trans-Tasman Trophy for eons now, put up a fight but mustered just 279 runs in their kitty, which was always going to be a fear factor considering the Aussie batting lineup.

“The toss helped, it was funny how quickly the match moved on Day 1. First-innings leads are always key for this reason. We’ve been on the other side of Tests plenty of time, I just told the boys to keep the scoreboard moving, stay busy and put the pressure on the opposition,” he added.

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