Ashes 2023: Nasser Hussain and Ian Healy hit out at Pat Cummins, Tim Paine defends Australian skipper

Nasser Hussain and Ian Healy has criticized Australia captain Pat Cummins field placements and bowling tactics after England made 384 for the loss of only four wickets in just one day and have put themselves in a commanding position.
“Often when you look down on an Australian side horically, you know who the captain, is whether it be Taylor, Border, Ponting, Waugh. You look down today and there have been a lot of cricketers waving their arms around trying to help their captain,” said former England captain Nasser Hussain.
Pat Cummins has a disastrous Day 2 after he was dismissed on the first ball of the day playing a loose shot, bowled four no-balls and messed up two catching opportunities.

“It was not a day to be proud of whatsoever,” former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy said on SENQ 693.
“We couldn’t keep things tight.
“Cummins had a terrible day in the field. He dropped two catches and didn’t see one.
“He kept bowling half-paced half volleys.
“They bowled straight to (Crawley) early (but) you have to get the ball away from them and not hit from their favourite areas.
“They whacked us left, right and over the top.
“We didn’t have a fielder on the slog sweep for Travis head but every fast bowler has got someone out on the boundary.
“It was just incredible.”
However former Australia skipper Tim Paine defended Cummins, saying he will bounce back.
“I will say before we get into it, it is so much easier to captain a side sitting on your lounge or sitting in a commentary box when you’re absolutely under no pressure,” Paine told SEN Tassie Breakfast.
“When the ball is flying around like Zak Crawley and the Poms had it flying around last night, it can go pear shaped and I think Pat would admit he didn’t get everything right yesterday, but he’s not going to.

“He’s never going to. No captain is ever going to.
“All you can hope is he comes back tomorrow and they’ve had a good think about how they’re going to slow the run rate down and build a bit of pressure and try and get some wickets that way.
“It certainly wasn’t his best day as captain. It wasn’t his best day with the ball and it wasn’t his best day with the field.
“Pat Cummins’ career would suggest he’ll get it right tomorrow because he doesn’t get it wrong often.”