World Cup 2023: We have to try and make amends, says Pat Cummins

After two big losses to start the 2023 World Cup, Australia are in a position that they’ve not faced for a long time. The batting has failed to deliver and the bowling has lacked teeth after going down to South Africa in Lucknow on Thursday.

World Cup 2023: News | Schedule | Results | Points table

Skipper Pat Cummins admitted his side are “hurting” but have to find a way to regroup and “make amends.”

“I think if we want to be challenging, you [have] got to try and find a way in all conditions, and that’s for the bowlers try and take wickets and for the batters try and score runs,” Cummins said after the match.

“Probably not much needs to be said [to my team-mates] tonight. I think everyone’s hurting. We’ve got a few days and the next game’s here as well. So we’ll group and regroup…everyone’s hurting. So we’re trying to make amends.”

Australia’s first two matches have witnessed six wicket defeat against India and a demoralising 134-run loss to the Proteas where they were dismissed for 177 runs. As things stand, Australia are ninth in the points table after two poor batting displays where the best individual score has been 46 runs. Against South Africa, that was coupled by a horror show in the field as they dropped six catches.

“I wouldn’t say it’s one thing [where Australia went wrong],” he said. “Maybe they [South Africa] got a few more than we would have liked. And obviously 177 is off the mark as well. So yeah, it’s a few things we need to tidy up.”

Read | South Africa appear to have finally cracked the code, Australia in dire straits

South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma was elated after a second straight big win in the World Cup. They’ve struck four centuries – two of them coming from Quinton de Kock’s bat – and look like the team to beat.

“I think I’d be really greedy if I said there’ll be areas that we can improve,” he said. “I think there was a close-to-perfect game for us. The goal is maybe with the bat, we could have finished a little bit stronger, but I think they really bowled well throughout the whole innings.

“At no point did the run rate get out of control for them…I think looking at all the different phases, the powerplay in the middle, as well as the death – wasn’t really much of a death – but I think the guys really dominated that. I don’t want to be too greedy. There’s not much that I can see.

“I think you can have a look at the good work that we’ve done and achieved. So I’d take the confidence, take the learnings and experience from that…and to celebrate our individual performances, and then we’ll come back tomorrow and we find ways to get better as a team.”

Australia had won the toss and decided to put South Africa to bat. That decision seemed to have been a wrong one as South Africa piled up 311 runs. To make things challenging, the second innings saw the ball zip more than the first. Bavuma admitted to have lost the toss.

“I do think the 311 was probably a couple over par. I think 290-300 was the par score,” Bavuma said. “I guess I’m glad we lost the toss because we would have also had a lot to chase. I think things worked out in our favour. I found it quite tricky myself with the bat. I was scratchy throughout my innings. I think Quinton going out and ending up with this with a score like that, I think he needs to be credited a lot.”