There’s a Bear in there & the Aussie Test captain as well at Wimbledon
Being cast as a cricket villain after last year’s controversial Ashes Test match at Lord’s hasn’t stopped Pat Cummins from a getting an invite to the Wimbledon royal box.
While most of his compatriots, led by Alex de Minaur, were slogging it out on the outside courts, the skipper of Australia’s world champion Test and one-day teams was enjoying a star-studded line-up that included a trio of champions — Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek and Andy Murray, who is playing his final Wimbledon.
The Lord’s members would have choked on their oscietra caviar canapes when they saw the colonial upstart seated with wife Becky, above, in the prestigious Centre Court box alongside TV star and survivalist Bear Grylls, former Olympic middle-distance champion and president of World Athletics Seb Coe, and Princess of Wales’ mother and father, Michael and Carole Middleton. Cummins’ appearance — suited, booted and wearing shades — brought much admiration on social media, including suggestions he should be the next James Bond. Maybe that was something he could have discussed with Grylls, who was seated behind him.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Perhaps appropriately, with the destroyer of so many English sporting dreams in the house, it was a bad day for the locals. Scotsman Murray was playing with brother Jamie against Australian duo John Peers and Rinky Hijikata.
Despite huge support for the Murray brothers from the crowd, the Aussies won this tennis “Ashes clash” in straight sets. The tennis knight wept in front of his adoring fans.
“I wish I could play forever,” he told them as wife Kim also fought back tears.
“She’s been an amazing support to me, to my whole family. She is the best mum,” he said. “Unfortunately, in a couple of months, she’s going to have to see me every day.”
Murray spoke of their first encounter.
“The first match she came to watch with me live was at the US Open and I vomited twice in that match — once right in front of where she was sitting. I then stood up, vomited on my opponent’s racket bag and she still seemed to like me so I knew she was a keeper after that.”
Djokovic was also playing a Brit, qualifier Jacob Fearnley, and dispatched him in four sets.
Cummins enraged English cricket fans a year ago when he appealed against England batsman Jonny Bairstow who strayed from his crease and was run out in the final innings of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s.
