Australian legend Matthew Hayden has sparked a fierce debate in cricketing circles after declaring that the current pace trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc may well be the greatest fast-bowling unit Australia has ever produced—better, even, than the iconic combination of Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee, and Jason Gillespie.

Hayden’s comments came on the back of Australia’s dominant second-day display in the ongoing World Test Championship Final against South Africa at Lord’s. After a wobbly outing with the bat, the Aussies clawed their way back into control thanks to a resounding bowling performance led by the Hazlewood-Cummins-Starc triumvirate.
Pat Cummins bagged a sensational six-wicket haul, Starc made early inroads by removing both openers—Markram and Rickelton—while Hazlewood added the prized scalp of Tristan Stubbs.
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“The combination of Cummins, Hazlewood, and Starc may just eclipse the McGrath-Gillespie-Lee era,” Matthew Hayden said during commentary. “They’ve played more together, and in more versatile conditions. When you throw Nathan Lyon into the mix, you’ve got an incredible four-man unit that’s capable of adapting to any situation. This match is already shaping into a classic, and Day 3 could tilt either way.”

Hayden also praised Cummins’ precision and resilience: “What stands out about Pat is how relentlessly he attacks the off stump. Despite missing over five years of Test cricket due to injury, he’s now crossed 300 wickets. That’s nothing short of remarkable.”
Australia now sits on a 218-run lead heading into Day 3—clearly in the driver’s seat—but Hayden wasn’t too pleased with the batting standards on display.
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“Neither side has put together a century stand yet. The batters look undercooked. Footwork has been sketchy, and with the ball nipping around, pads and edges are in constant danger. Interestingly, more wickets have fallen in sunny conditions than under clouds, which highlights rusty techniques more than unplayable bowling.”
Matthew Hayden added that a fourth-innings chase could come down to just one substantial partnership: “If South Africa is to pull off the unthinkable, they’ll need one one-hundred-run stand, and another fifty-run effort. Otherwise, it’s Australia’s match to lose.”