Fast bowler Pat Cummins is new Australia cricket captain

Pat Cummins has been named first fast bowler to captain Australia's test cricket team on a fulltime basis and former skipper Steve Smith returns from leership wilderness to become team's vice captain.

Cricket Australia me both announcements on Friday. Cummins, who h been vice captain, replaces Tim Paine, who resigned last week over a sex-texting scandal four years ago.

last fast bowler to le Australia at test level was Ray Lindwall for a single match in 1956, and only as a stand-in. Cummins is Australia's 47th test captain.

Smith was fired from captaincy after ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018. As well as losing captaincy, he was banned from any leership roles for two years.

“I am honored to accept this role ahe of what will be a massive Ashes summer,” Cummins said in a statement. “I hope I can provide same leership Tim (Paine) has given group in past few years."

first of five Ashes tests against England begins on Dec. 8 in Brisbane.

“Pat is an outstanding player and leer," Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley said. “He has earned enormous respect from his teammates and from all corners of game for his attitude and achievements, both on and off field."

IMAGE: AP