MELBOURNE: Australia’s Mitchell Starc missed the third and final Test against South Africa due to a finger injury, but it did not stop him from contributing heroically to the series-clinching victory in Melbourne on Thursday.
The left arm helped the hosts to an innings and 182-run victory by delivering a full load in South Africa’s second innings despite tearing a tendon in his bowling hand’s middle finger during a fielding accident on day one at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
All-rounder Green was forced to leave the game after Anrich Nortje‘s ball fractured his index finger, but he later returned to the field and added an unbroken 51 to his previous five-wicket haul. “This is definitely a good moment to highlight all the amazing accomplishments this week.
To have the courage to go out and accomplish it while suffering from a finger injury that will keep him sidelined for a few weeks, Cummins told reporters. “The same Cam Green, gutting it out for us. Steve Smith and Davey Warner pitched two brave innings on day two at 38 degrees, as we witnessed. It just says a lot about the team right now. We’re in a great situation because everyone would sacrifice anything for one another.
Australia won the Boxing Day Test, securing a 2-0 advantage going into the third and final game in Sydney and securing first place in the World Test Championship.
It also marked the end of an amazing Test cricket season for Australia, which saw Cummins’ team win seven out of ten games, including a series victory in Pakistan. Australia will shift its attention after Sydney to the visit of India in February and the Ashes in England that will follow.
Cummins claimed he was captaining a special Australian squad because experienced opener Warner overcame a sluggish run in a spectacular 200 in the sweltering heat of Melbourne and a weakened attack was still comfortably able to handle South Africa.