Cummins provides plan to end the Poms
PAT Cummins provided the blueprint for his bowling brothers to rip into England.
Cummins rocked England at the end of day four with two wickets in two balls to start the second innings before they limped to stumps at 2-18.
Steve Smith, who carved out another masterful 82 as Australia put one hand on the Ashes urn, said evenhe felt “pretty vulnerable” on a wearing wicket.
He said the ball from Cummins to remove England captain Joe Root for zero, which hit the seam before hitting his off stump,was the ball the Aussie quicks would look to replicate with monotony.
“I think it will be pretty difficult [for England],” Smith said.
“Particularly while the ball is hard. I found when I first went out to the middle, when you bowl a good length, there wasenough up and down and sideways movement.
“My first 20 or 30 balls, I felt pretty vulnerable when they were bowling that good length.
“For us, it’s pretty clear what we need to do … quicks hit the good length, Gaza [Nathan Lyon] hit the rough as much as possibleand when he bowls to left-handers just pitch it on the stumps.
“It’s just about relaxing and going out and just enjoying it and hopefully executing our skills well enough to bowl Englandout.”
England coach Trevor Bayliss hit out at the Australian nature of the Old Trafford wicket, which was also offering spin andbounce for Lyon, who looked dangerous on day four without taking a wicket.
But the England coach tried to remain positive in the face of what seemed a huge mountain to climb.
“I’m always positive,” Bayliss said.
A fortnight ago, all-rounder Ben Stokes made 135 not out as they chased down a target of 359 -- the most England have madeto win in the fourth innings of a Test -- for a sensational one-wicket victory.
A draw would be an achievement in itself and leave the series all square ahead ofnext week’s finale at the Oval in London,
Joe Denly and Jason Roy took up the task as Bayliss conceded another mercurial run chase would be a challenge.
The Australian will stand down as England coach after the fifth Test following four years at the helm that included this year’s unforgettable World Cup triumph.
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