Mitchell Starc couldn’t resist making Pat Cummins’ commentary career awkward with a hilarious stitch-up of his skipper during his call on day two at the Adelaide Oval.
Starc organised some cheeky questions to be directed to Cummins via co-commentators Mark Howard and Adam Gilchrist, which caught the injured Australian captain on the hop.
“Some of your long term mates as captain have been whispering on the field that maybe you’ve been bringing yourself into the attack when the West Indies or the opposition might be eight down Patty!” Howard asked.
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“How do you respond to those rather cutting allegations?”
“This is Howie Games,” Cummins laughed at the interrogation.
Howard continued: “Mitchell Starc has been telling me that I need to ask you when you get up here whether there’s any truth to it.”
“No,” Cummins replied – “unless there’s a new ball!”
However, Gilchrist persisted with some damning statistics of Cummins’ bowling rate to tail enders both before and after he became captain.
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“Just on that point that Mitchell Starc was keen for you to ask Howie,” Gilchrist said.
“I couldn’t go with this, I had to hand it to Gilly,” Howard joked.
“I’m not prepared to go with this, but Gilly will because he is a superstar of the game.”
“Before coming captain Pat Cummins,” Gilchrist continued.
“Here we go, gee the boys are brave when they are not here aren’t they?” Cummins joked.
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“22 per cent of deliveries to batters No.7 to No.11 before he was captain,” Gilchrist continued.
“22 per cent and since he was captain?” Howard asked.
“I’ll let you read that number out,” Gilchrist said.
“What does that say Patty,” Howard asked Cummins sheepishly.
“29 per cent,” Cummins replied through gritted teeth.
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“Thanks to CricViz and Mitchell Starc,” Howard said.
However Cummins couldn’t resist firing back at his bowling cartel in good humour.
“I think the obvious explanation there is come the end of an innings I’m looking around for bowlers and they have all got their backs turned to me,” Cummins said.
“That’s right skipper,” Howard said.
