Cummins concerns and weaknesses to target – takeaways from SA-Australia

With both sides to face over the next 12 months, what can England take from South Africa and Australia's enthralling Test series? If England fans were in any doubt over the difficulty of this winter's trip to South Africa, they should be no more. The superb Proteas completed victory on the final day of their enthralling series against Australia to reaffirm their status as the best side in the world. The contest was packed with subplots, many of which are relevant to England for their upcoming tour and next summer's Ashes series beyond. Australia captain Pat Cummins maintained they are still a "really good side" after the defeat. It is undeniable they stand at an intriguing point in their development, however.

Knocked off the top of the Test rankings for the first time in two and a half years, they have an ageing bowling attack and a batting line-up caught between generations. And for the first time in his career there is attention on Cummins himself. One third of Australia's iconic pace trio, with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, he went more than 62 overs without a wicket between the second innings of the first Test and South Africa's second dig in the third. Only once has he finished a series with a worse bowling average than the 53.66 he