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Pat Cummins,
the Australia fast bowler, will play his first competitive match after
nine months with a back injury for the Northern Ireland Cricket Academy
on Wednesday.
Cummins was named as a non-playing member of the Australia A squad who
have played four-day matches against Scotland and Ireland in the past
two weeks.
The squad have travelled to Bristol to face Gloucestershire on Friday
but Cummins will remain in Ireland to play for the NICA against MCC at
Carrickfergus, just outside Belfast.
Forty-eight hours later he will switch colours to play for MCC against
Ireland Under-19s, part of their preparations for the Under-19 World Cup
qualifier in August.
Cummins has not played since October last year when he bowled four overs
for 27 to help Sydney Sixers beat Lions in the Champions League final.
During the tournament he complained of stiffness and on his return home
was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his back.
Cummins made his international debut aged just 18 on Australia's tour of
South Africa in October 2011. His first, and to date only, Test at the
Wanderers included 6 for 79 in the second innings, earning him the match
award in a narrow Australian victory.
He has also impressed in five ODIs, including playing England at Lord's
last year, and a successful World T20 in Sri Lanka where he claimed six
wickets at 32.83 to help Australia to the semi-final.
Despite the understandable hype surrounding Cummins, his injury history
has compelled Cricket Australia to take a conservative approach with him
this time around, and he is unlikely to figure in international
calculations for some time yet.
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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