At the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia defeated Pakistan by 79 runs on the fourth day of the second Test, securing an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Australia had gained a 54-run lead in the first inning and had given Pakistan a goal of 317 runs in the fourth, which the visitors were unable to meet as they were bowled out for 237 runs.
Earlier in the day, Australia skipper Pat Cummins created an unusual sight on the field when he drove the ball over covers and scored five runs. Aamer Jamal bowled the third delivery of Australia’s second innings’ 75th over when the incident took place.
Cummins scored two after a solid drive through covers, but the Australian hitters scored three more runs following an overthrow, bringing the total to five. Notably, in Test cricket, it is uncommon to witness batters scoring five runs, but on the large outfields of Australian facilities, it is typically the case.
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Have you seen this before? An all-run FIVE (with help from overthrows, of course)! #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/gHxwJih45d
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 29, 2023
Pat Cummins claimed his second career ten-wicket haul.
Returning to the game, Pat Cummins gave his team a winning effort to cap off an incredibly successful year. To bundle out the opponents for 264, the 30-year-old first took 5/48 in the opening inning. To help his team win by 79 runs, the right-arm speedster added another fifer (5/49) in the second inning. Significantly, Cummins took more than 250 wickets during the match, marking the second ten-wick total of his career.
Because of this, the Australian captain was duly granted the Johnny Mullagh medal for being named Player of the Match, in keeping with the custom of Australia’s Boxing Day Test matches. In the third match of the series at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, starting on January 3, 2024, the Australian pace-spearhead, who is presently placed third in the ICC Test bowling rankings, will attempt to move up the ladder with another match-winning effort.