"Little bit of wait and see...": Cummins provides update on Steve Smith's injury

London [UK], June 14 (ANI); Following his side's loss in the ICC World Test Championship final, Australian skipper Pat Cummins provided an update on Steve Smith's injury, saying that it is "a little bit of a wait and see".

Despite the bitter disappointment of the ICC World Test Championship Final loss, captain Pat Cummins is already shifting his focus to Australia's next challenge: a three-match Test series in the West Indies, starting from June 25 in Barbados. However, a significant concern hangs over their upcoming assignment, with the availability of star batter Smith.

Smith missed the final day's play at Lord's, having suffered a dislocated finger while fielding on day three, casting uncertainty on his participation in the Caribbean tour.

"It is a little bit of a wait and see., but he is good and I think he enjoyed the green whistle for an hour yesterday. But he is positive," Cummins said after Australia's loss to South Africa at Lord's.

"I think it is somewhere around 10 days to two weeks, and then maybe you try and bat with a splint and see how that looks. So I think it is a bit of a wait and see. I would say first Test (against the West Indies) maybe unlikely, and then kind of go from there, but it's a bit early just to tell," he added.

Coming to the match, on day first, Proteas won the toss and opted to bowl first. They dominated the first session with the ball, as fiery spells from Rabada (5/51) and Marco Jansen (3/49) reduced Australia to 67/4. A 79-run stand between Steve Smith (66 in 112 balls, with 10 fours) and Beau Webster (72 in 92 balls, with 11 fours) and a 46-run stand between Carey (23 in 31 balls, with four boundaries) and Webster took Australia to 212 all out.

With the help of early two wickets from Starc and contributions from Cummins and Hazlewood helped Australia reduced South Africa to 43/4 at day one end, with Bavuma (3*) and Bedingham (0*) unbeaten. A six-fer from skipper Pat Cummins (6/28) helped Australia bundle out Proteas for 138 runs and secure a 74-run lead, despite a half-century run-stand between skipper Temba Bavuma (36 in 84 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and David Bedingham (45 in 111 balls, with six fours).

In their second innings, Australia was reduced to 73/7, but a 61-run stand between Alex Carey (46 in 50 balls, with five fours) and Mitchell Starc (58* in 136 balls, with five fours), who also put a last wicket stand of 59 runs with Josh Hazlewood. Australia was bundled out for 207 runs, leading by 281 runs.

Rabada (4/59) and Ngidi (3/38) were the pick of the bowlers for South Africa.

In the run-chase, Proteas lost Ryan Rickelton early, but a 61-run stand between Wiaan Mulder (27 in 50 balls, with five fours) and Markram put Proteas on track. An even gigantic, frustrating 147-run stand between Markram (136 in 207 balls, with 14 fours) and skipper Bavuma (66 in 134 balls, with five fours) followed, rattling Australia. Despite Starc (3/63) attempting to keep Aussies alive, Kyle Verreyne hit the winning runs for South Africa to take them to their first ICC title since the ICC Knockout 1998.

Markram took home the 'Player of the Match' award. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)