I AM CUMMINS TO GET YOU NOW, PAT
CRAIG OVERTON admitted he will be targeting Pat Cummins in Perth after the Aussie quick hit him in the ribs and turned his back on him.
There was no enquiry as to how Overton was doing, just a look and a walk away as Cummins let the Somerset man know he had a Test match to win and this was no time for concern.
Overton wasn’t offended though, enough of Cummins’ team-mates gathered round to check on him, instead it has just made him more determined to make another impact following his impressive debut.
And he knows he will be getting more of the same treatment after the ball missed his chest guard and thumped into the body to give him a nasty bruise.
“Cummins didn’t say anything to me,” said Overton.
“Most of them are good lads and they came up to me to make sure I was alright after I got hit.
“But their persona is trying to create a bit of bubble out there and they like to say a few words and that is just how they are on the pitch.
“Off the pitch, they seem pretty good lads.
“I’ll have a go back at him, but he can hold a bat so it’s not going to be so easy, but I’ll certainly give it a go.
“I think you have to enjoy it. it’s part of cricket that they are going to come hard at you and it is just a case of making sure that you deal with it in the right way.”
Overton is in the side to take wickets first and foremost and he did just that by getting rid of Steve Smith in the first innings and taking four in the match.
And he is confident England can go to Perth and get the result they need to keep the series alive and with it avoid talk of a whitewash.
“We are not panicking yet,” he added. “We have shown glimpses in the two games that we are not that far off.
“Perth is a tough place to go and we obviously haven’t won there in however many years but as a group we are sticking together and we are confident of getting a result.”