Perth, Dec 4 (IANS): Former Australian quick Damien Fleming has rated Test skipper and pace spearhead Pat Cummins among the top-three he has seen emerging from his country. The 29-year-old Cummins grabbed his 200th wicket on Friday in his 44th Test when he ripped West Indies batter Kraigg Brathwaite's off stump.
Cummins thus became the second-fastest Australian to the milestone behind the legendary Dennis Lillee, who achieved the feat in 38 Tests. Cummins's average after the West Indies' first innings in the inaugural Test at Perth of 21.50 is the best by any Australian bowler to have taken 200 or more scalps.
However, Cummins has been laid low by right quadricep soreness in the second innings, which has forced the team management to hand over the captaincy reins to Steve Smith. Cummins had figures of 3/34 in 20.2 overs in the first innings.
The other two quicks in the side, Josh Hazlewood and Mitch Starc, have both taken more than 200 Test wickets and Fleming has them among the most dangerous pair in the world.
"They're getting into elite company not just with wickets, but the amount of Test matches played," Fleming said on SEN Test Cricket.
"These are where great teams build. The more games they've played together in any sport, the cohesion of knowing (each other)... means you can build dynasties. As much as the batters are the engine room as we hear, you've got to get 20 wickets, and this Australian team can get 20 wickets in any conditions around the world.
"They're different individually," said Fleming, a former pace bowler.
But Fleming said Cummins is the standout bowler for Australia.
"Pat Cummins, I've got him in the top three of my time, Dennis Lillee, Glenn McGrath and Pat Cummins, and sort of clearly," Fleming said. "Hazlewood and Starc are in that next rung below, (Jason) Gillespie, (Mitch) Johnson (etc)...
"I'm only saying from Dennis Lillee down, obviously I didn't see Ray Lindwall and (Graham) McKenzie and those guys. If you've got four of your greatest bowers in one team, that's pretty unique," added Fleming.