Pat Cummins has once again proved he is the master of the post-match press conference, shutting down an English reporter with a blunt reply.

Australia lost the third Ashes Test to England by three wickets at Headlingley to leave the series tantalisingly poised at 2-1 in the visitors’ favour with two Tests remaining.

Ben Stokes’ rearguard action in the first innings was crucial, before Harry Brook (75) and tailenders Chris Woakes (32 not out) and Mark Wood (16 not out) got England over the line.

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The result means Australia needs to win one of the remaining two Tests at Old Trafford and The Oval to secure their first Ashes win in England since 2001.

England’s victory has given them hope a refined ‘BazBall’ approach could see them pull off a 3-2 series win, and Cummins was asked after the loss at Headlingley if momentum had turned the Poms’ way.

An English journalist asked: “As the series heads to Manchester, do you fear maybe momentum has shifted in England’s favour?”

“Not really, no.”

The journalist pressed: “Why not?”

To which Cummins replied with a deadpan grin: “2-1”.

Pat Cummins said look at the scoreboard.

Cummins had to repeat himself and added the loss wouldn’t derail his side’s confidence.

“No not at all. Every Test you start from fresh,” he said.

It’s not the first time Cummins has had a mic drop moment at a press conference during this tour of England.

After Indian captain Rohit Sharma gave excuses for his team’s loss to Australia in the World Test Championship Final, including the match’s proximity to the Indian Premier League, Cummins had the last laugh.

“It’s fine. No qualms,” Cummins said in response to Sharma’s complaints, to laughter from the press gallery.

England reckons the Aussies are rattled. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Former England greats believe the Ashes is well and truly alive and the series has the makings of an all-time classic like in 2005.

“They’re one-third of the way there — and they’ve got a template to win the last two Tests too,” Michael Vaughan wrote in the UK Telegraph.

“It is so difficult to win an Ashes series away from home and Australia were tantalisingly close. To pick themselves up from this psychological blow will be a huge challenge for Pat Cummins and his side.

“Mark Wood was a revelation at Headingley. He had the Aussies rattled — not just the tail, who he blew away, but also the top order.”

Former England captain Nasser Hussain said in the Daily Mail: “The 2-1 scoreline is a pretty accurate reflection of how the series has gone. England have relinquished some massive opportunities and today Australia will be feeling the boot is on the other foot.

“They will leave Leeds asking: how did we lose? Just as England have done in the previous two matches. Equally, 3-0 would not have been a fair representation of events.

“Yes, Australia have lost three important tosses and had the worse of conditions, but it has been much tighter than that and this result sets it up beautifully going to Old Trafford.”

The Ashes are well and truly alive. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Succinct as ever, Cummins raised eyebrows after Headlingley when he refused to guarantee David Warner’s place in the team for the fourth Test in Manchester, which begins on Wednesday July 19.

After solid outings in the first two Tests, Warner is once again proving to be Stuart Broad’s bunny, leaving his spot in the team in question.

Australia faces a number of huge selection calls with Cameron Green and fast bowler Josh Hazlewood already declared fit for the Fourth Test in Manchester in nine days.

Century-maker Mitch Marsh has created an unexpected headache by delivering way above expectations with bat and ball – leading one journalist to ask Cummins what he thought about “keeping Mitch and dumping David”.

After earlier being supportive of Warner, Cummins said: “You keep all options open.”

When asked if it was possible Marsh could be dropped for Green, Cummins said: “It’s possible but it was a pretty impressive week, wasn’t it?”

Keeping both all-rounders is probably the move that would excite Aussie cricket fans the most, although Marcus Harris and Matt Renshaw are former Test openers and in the squad in England.

Elevating Marsh or Travis Head to open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja would be a way to keep both all-rounders in Marsh and Green in the side, but it would be a bold call from the selectors.

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