The Ashes: Injured Australian captain Pat Cummins makes early arrival to Perth ahead of first Test
Injured Australian captain Pat Cummins has made an early arrival to Perth ahead of the start of The Ashes.
Cummins, who will miss at least the first Test of the series as he continues his recovery from a flare-up of bone stress in his back, touched down at Perth Airport just after midday alongside a Cricket Australia staffer.
None of his Australian teammates were spotted coming off the same flight from Sydney, with the squad set to arrive in WA in the coming days ahead of the start of the series at Optus Stadium on Friday.
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Cummins has made a gradual return to bowling over recent weeks, completing a session at around 90 per cent of his top pace at the SCG on Tuesday.
Earlier this month, he said he remained hopeful of returning for the second Test of the series in Brisbane, which starts on December 4.
“It’s probably not until you get a bit closer that you can really know where you’re at,” Cummins said at Channel Seven’s summer of cricket launch.
“The good thing is that I’m pulling up well and the body is great.
“We’re trying to keep that second Test as a live option. I’ll have a really good bowl in Perth, and by then I’ll know where I’m at.”
Australia’s bowling stocks suffered another huge blow on Saturday, when Cricket Australia confirmed Josh Hazlewood had been ruled out of the first Test due to a hamstring strain suffered playing for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield.
Initial scans had cleared Hazlewood of injury but follow-up imaging revealed the issue that will sideline the injury-prone quick — who has missed 12 of 29 home Tests since the start of the 2019/20 season — for the start of the series.
Cummins was not named in a 15-player squad for the Perth Test which has now seen two fast bowlers ruled out, with Hazlewood joining New South Wales teammate Sean Abbott — who suffered what CA termed a “moderate grade hamstring injury” playing in the same game — on the sidelines.
Hazlewood’s setback is set to see South Australia seamer Brendan Doggett receive a baggy green in Perth and Queensland veteran Michael Neser has been called into Australia’s squad.
