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I was expecting to play at Oval: Cummins

Australia's young speedster thought he would get the call up over Peter Siddle but couldn't be happier for the Victorian after his six wickets

In the wake of Australia's Ashes loss, speedster Pat Cummins says he expected to play the fifth Test at The Oval, only to be pipped by veteran Peter Siddle.

Cummins was the hot favourite by the media to replace Josh Hazlewood in the starting XI, but Siddle got the nod and justified his selection with six wickets for the match.

Looking back at the final Ashes Test from Belfast ahead of today's one-day international against Ireland, Cummins says he was anticipating to don the Baggy Green for the just the second time in his career at The Oval.

"Yeah I did," Cummins said when asked if thought he was going to play.

"I was preparing to play I was ready to go but I also knew how well Siddsy had been bowling the whole trip, especially in some of the earlier games before the first Test.

"He bowled brilliantly apparently.

"So I knew there was one spot and there was two of us going for it so I was ready to play and disappointing not to get a run but I saw why Siddsy got picked, he bowled brilliantly.

Test legend Shane Warne made it well known that the National Selection Panel headed by chairman Rod Marsh made an error by not picking Cummins for the fifth Test.

Warne says Siddle should have played the Trent Bridge Test instead of Hazlewood, and once the series was lost it was a perfect opportunity to blood Cummins whose extreme pace could be advantageous in Australia's next Test tour to Bangladesh.

But Cummins, who was drafted in to the squad when Ryan Harris was ruled out of the tour through injury prior to the first Test, is at peace with the call to play Siddle.

"Yeah it's one of those 50-50 calls,"

"I guess I thought I was going to be with Aussie A in Chennai, so I was just happy to be in the Ashes Tour.

"Not every selection goes your way unfortunately, but I'm happy it was for Siddle who had been going so well."

Reflecting on the Ashes, Cummins says the experience he gained throughout the series will hold him in good stead for the future despite not playing a Test.

"My first Ashes trip and it went really quickly," Cummins said.

"Being part of the hype and everything that comes with the series and I think for me to go out and bowl with the red ball for a few months, I hadn't done that for a while.

"I've come out of this series without playing a game but I feel like I'm much better for it."