Pat Cummins was the victim of "really, really bad luck" as Australia's captain was forced to miss the second Ashes Test and go into isolation.
That was the verdict of Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley, who said the team had no option but to go into the Adelaide clash against England without their new skipper.
Cummins was dining at a restaurant on Tuesday and sat nearby to someone who has since been confirmed as a positive coronavirus case.
The star paceman did not breach any biosecurity protocols and isolated as soon as he became aware of the situation. Cummins has since had a PCR test, which produced a negative result, and said he was "gutted" to be ruled out of action. Michael Neser came in for his debut, replacing Cummins.
What it means for Cummins is that he could only watch on television as Australia made a bright start against England, reaching 211-2 in 78 overs as the first day continued to unfold.
Hockley said on BT Sport: "It's certainly been eventful, and it's so disappointing that Pat was ruled out as a close contact last night
"No one's more disappointed than Pat and everyone's been working extremely hard overnight to get the facts, and ultimately it was determined, working with the health authorities, that he had been in close contact with a positive case. It's just really 'wrong time, wrong place', and it's really, really bad luck. We're thrilled that he's going to be fit and raring to go on Boxing Day.
"We worked to establish the facts. We worked closely with SA [South Australia] Health. Ultimately, if you do become a close contact then the rules are to isolate for seven days, so there was really no option in the end.
"We've got protocols in place to make sure that multiple players don't get tied up in that situation, so they have to dine in small groups. If there's one consolation, it's that everyone else is available to play."
Hockley said Cummins should be available for the next match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and measures were being taken to ensure he can stay fully fit.
"He's in isolation now. He's watching the cricket," Hockley said.
"We'll be putting plans in place plans to make sure that when people are in isolation they get access to the right fitness equipment, and we all want to make sure he keeps his conditioning up to a level and that he's in optimum condition for the Boxing Day Test."
Steve Smith captained Australia in the absence of Cummins as the day-night Test got under way.
Magnificent Bumrah humbles Australia after India batting collapse
India wrestled control back from Australia to leave them 67-7 at the close of play, despite having been bowled out for just 150 earlier on a remarkable first day in Perth.
The tourists chose to bat first, having made six changes from their Test defeat to New Zealand earlier this month, but things did not go well for them as they were reduced to 32-3 and 73-6.
Virat Kohli struggled again and went for just five after being caught by Usman Khawaja. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and number three Devdutt Padikkal were both playing in Australia for the first time and were dismissed for ducks.
Rishabh Pant (37) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) dragged India to a level of respectability before their bowlers tore through the Australian batting lineup.
Jasprit Bumrah (4-17) was India's saviour, producing a spell to leave the hosts 19-3. Nathan McSweeney (10) went on lbw after a review, Khawaja (8) was caught in the slips and Steve Smith was out on his first ball after another lbw.
Both Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh went for a combined total of 17 runs, with Marnus Labuschagne next to go for two off 52 balls. Pat Cummins was the final wicket of the day, meaning Australia finished on 67-7 with Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc at the crease.
Data debrief: Australia and India go wicket crazy
It was undoubtedly a day for the bowlers on the first day in Perth, with 17 wickets being the most to have fallen on the opening day of a Test in Australia since 1952.
While all 10 of Australia's wickets were caught, India managed four dismissals through either bowling their opponent or lbw.
Following his unplayable performance in Perth, Bumrah now has 177 Test wickets for his country and can count himself unlucky not to have had more.
50 years of Greatness: Philip Spooner sits down with Sir Viv and Sir Gordon on their famous Test debuts
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the first day that two of the greatest cricketers of all-time set foot on the international stage.
On November 22, 1974, Sir Gordon Greenidge and Sir Vivian Richards made their Test debuts against India. The match was played at the Karnataka State Cricket Association Stadium in Bangalore.
These two cricketing titans had illustrious careers that spanned from 1974 to 1991 and cemented their place among the pantheon of global sporting icons. During that time, they were pillars of the all-conquering West Indies team, which ruled the cricket world in red ball and white ball formats.
Both remembered the first day of action on Indian soil “like it was yesterday”.
The 23-year-old Greenidge was officially the 150th West Indies Test player. He entered with a flourish, scoring 93 and 107. This piloted West Indies to a huge win by 267 runs and a great start to the five-match series.
Sir Gordon Greenidge
The 22-year-old Richards is officially listed as the 151st West Indies Test player. He endured a tough start against the wizardry of Bhagwant Chandrasekhar. He fell to ace spinner in both innings for only three and four. But he rebounded in spectacular fashion next match with a sensational 192 not out at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi. He struck 20 fours and six towering sixes to showcase his prowess and announce his arrival. West Indies won the match by an innings.
Sir Gordon said: “It was a great feeling ... a truly wonderful feeling to walk out and open the batting for the West Indies in my first Test match in India. You were going to face four of the best spinners in the world, and that was a frightening aspect. But I’m pleased to say I was able to overcome those fears pretty quicky and was able to get a formidable score and a personal achievement. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to triple figures in the first innings. But I was able to buckle down again in the second innings and got the hundred and the team won the Test match.”
Sir Viv said: “I didn’t really expect to play … I thought I was going as a replacement … I hit some good form going into the series and the confidence was there. I remember in those day we had some huge crowds … They were maybe 60 000 to 70 000 people in the stands. They (India) were renowned for their spinners, Bedi, Prasanna, Chandrasekhar and Venkat, so it was just different in my perspective. Coming from a small island, you were playing in front of a crowd that was as many as the country where you lived… There was quite a lot happening. Those were testing times…”
He added: “Wow! To get a century in my second Test was a great feeling. I felt that with the mindset of selectors back in those days I was on my last lap, so I had to get something done … better than I did in Bangalore … ‘192 clicks not out’. That was a serious comeback and created the confidence a young man needed to have a successful tour and successful career.”
Sir Isaac Vivian Richards
Sir Gordon and Sir Viv are rated among the best batsmen in history. Among their many accolades, they were named as Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1977 and are inductees in the International Cricket Council’s prestigious Hall of Fame. They were also members of the West Indies team that won the inaugural ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 1975 at Lord’s in England and repeated in 1979.
Both ended their careers with stellar records. Richards played 121 matches and made 8 540 runs at an average of 50.2. His best score was 291 against England at The Oval on the historic 1976 tour of England. In his first-class career, he made 36,212 runs with 114 centuries. Greenidge played 108 Tests and made 7 558 runs at an average of 44.7. His top score was 226 against Australia at Kensington Oval in 1991 in his penultimate Test innings. In his first-class career, he made 37 354 runs with 92 centuries.
Looking back over the 50 years, Richards said that above all, wearing the West Indies colours brought him greatest pride. This was echoed by Greenidge.
Sir Viv said: “It is not about what you achieve personally, as an individual…but it is much more about what we did as a collective for the people of the West Indies. The same way when we bleed, we bleed together and when we win, we win together, and we have fun.”
Sir Gordon said: “Getting the nod to play for West Indies. I would have to say is the greatest moment of my career. In a land where people found it difficult to go and I managed to start so well. It might seem very strange to say that, but to get the opportunity to play, I would say I accomplished something that so many people dream of doing. I am happy to get that opportunity to play for the West Indies and for as long as I did. Representing the West Indies is the ultimate. We played for our people in the West Indies and the many people overseas who supported us.”
Philip Spooner is the former Media Manager of the West Indies team and the former Head of Media for Cricket West Indies. He was also the Global Media Manager for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Javelle Glenn’s maiden century leads high-scoring Jamaica Scorpions to CG Insurance Super50 Final
Javelle Glenn’s maiden List A century was the backbone of a remarkable recovery as the Jamaica Scorpions defeated the Leeward Islands Hurricanes by 107 runs in the second semifinal of the CG Insurance Super50 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Thursday. The victory secured the Scorpions a spot in the final against the Barbados Pride.
Set 353 to win, the Hurricanes were dismissed for 245.
Batting first, the Scorpions posted a tournament-high 352-9, overcoming a middle-order collapse thanks to Glenn’s composed and unbeaten 114. The innings was supported by crucial knocks from John Campbell (77), Jeavor Royal (73), and Kirk McKenzie (48).
The Scorpions started shakily, losing Carlos Brown early for one, leaving them at 12-1 in the third over. However, Campbell and McKenzie rebuilt with a 114-run stand for the second wicket. McKenzie fell to Rahkeem Cornwall for 48, sparking a dramatic collapse.
Cornwall and Hayden Walsh Jr wreaked havoc on the Scorpions’ middle order, reducing them from 132-2 in the 21st over to 138-7 in the 24th over. Glenn, who had been at the crease during this carnage, held firm as wickets tumbled around him. Jermaine Blackwood, Romaine Morris, and Peat Salmon all departed without scoring, while Brad Barnes managed just four.
With the Scorpions in dire straits, Glenn found a willing partner in Jeavor Royal. The pair staged a sensational eighth-wicket fightback, adding 124 runs in just 64 balls. Royal’s aggressive 73 off 42 deliveries included six fours and six sixes, providing the Scorpions with much-needed momentum before he fell to Walsh.
Glenn continued the charge, adding 78 runs for the ninth wicket with Gordon Bryan, who contributed 11 runs to the partnership. Glenn’s unbeaten knock ensured Jamaica crossed the 350-run mark, with Markino Mindley accompanying him in the final overs.
Cornwall ended with figures of 4-67, while Walsh Jr took 3-78, but their efforts were undone by Glenn’s heroics and the Scorpions’ lower-order resistance.
Chasing 353, the Hurricanes made a bright start despite losing early wickets and reached 60-3 in the eighth over. Kofi James led the charge with a spirited 79 off 64 balls, featuring seven fours and five sixes. He combined with Jewel Andrew for a 66-run fourth-wicket stand that kept the Hurricanes in contention.
Jahmar Hamilton added 58, while Walsh Jr chipped in with 31, but the Hurricanes fell short of the required tempo. Mindley’s incisive bowling broke key partnerships, finishing with 4-46. Javeor Royal (2-37) and Brad Barnes (2-65) also played important roles in dismissing the Hurricanes for 245 in 35.4 overs.
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