"It’s that unpredictability with Pakistan which is their biggest threat" : Josh Hazlewood

[MenInG]

"It’s that unpredictability with Pakistan which is their biggest threat" : Josh Hazlewood

Australia’s success at the 2019 Ashes is still fresh in the memory, but today’s unrelenting cricket schedule affords little time for contentment.

In less than one month, a new Ashes cycle begins — and a fresh challenger awaits.

For gun Australian bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon that means casting an eye forward to the first Test on November 21, when they will face Pakistan at the Gabba.

Playing Pakistan at home hardly sounds as scary as playing England away. In 12 tours dating back to 1964, the world’s seventh-ranked Test side hasn’t won a series in Australia. Furthermore, Pakistan has lost eight series in a row down under.

But Hazlewood and Lyon know that Pakistan is a team capable of beating anyone on its day — it just depends whether Jekyll or Hyde turns up.

“Probably not knowing what to expect of Pakistan is their greatest threat,” Hazlewood told foxsports.com.au at Kayo Sports’ launch for the summer of cricket.

“Just when you think they’re in doubt is when they can pull out a performance, just like last time they were here.”

Hazlewood was referring to the Brisbane day-night Test in 2016 when Pakistan came within 40 runs of victory having made 450 in the fourth innings.

He added: “It’s that unpredictability with Pakistan which is their biggest threat.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...t/news-story/41179262fbc58cbaf9f68bbbc4eb51ba

 

[shah_1]

We have never been unpredictable in Australia, actually the most consistent team in past two decade team to tour Australia.

 

[Mamoon]

Pakistan have lost every single Test in Australia since winning at Sydney in 1995.

How unpredictable.

 

[Mueez]

Have a feeling we might win this Test series...

 

[shah_1]

Have a feeling we might win this Test series...

If we are able to pull off this miracle then this might be greater than WC, CT and T20 WC combined.

 

[Hasan123]

We have been predictability rubbish in Australia. Sick of this buzz saying that we are unpredictable. That was in the 90s. Now we are predictability average.

 

[Hawkeye]

Don't expect Pak to win.

With such a new and inexperienced squad, it's even more unlikely.

People need to be realistic. It's a tour to gain experience and exposure for the young boys.

 

[Bilal Ahmad15]

I find it really annoying when people call Pakistan the 'Unpredictable' team.

 

[Hawkeye]

Have a feeling we might win this Test series...

Don't have the bowling for it.

The new quicks are way too new and inexperienced. Unless they really surprise us. The oldies are trash.

Will take a few years for us to develop our pace battery, Misbah and Waqar are the right people to do it though so stay hopeful!

 

[JaDed]

I find it really annoying when people call Pakistan the 'Unpredictable' team.

Annoying is posters taking pride in it.. its like that one guy who scores 90 in exam without studying and boasts about how he scored ‘this’ much without studying , failing to realize it will catch up with him sooner

 

[Hawkeye]

Annoying is posters taking pride in it.. its like that one guy who scores 90 in exam without studying and boasts about how he scored ‘this’ much without studying , failing to realize it will catch up with him sooner

People think it's a good term. Can't blame them, these diplomatic interviews and commentators do use the word in a positive sense when describing Pak's performances.

It's bad for us.

 

[Indiafan]

One thing to keep in mind is that the tag of "unpredictability" is not a compliment. It's never a good thing for the unpredictable. It's a hurdle for the opposition because an unpredictable opposition can be a spanner in your carefully led plans. However that does not mean it's a positive thing for the unpredictable team

No one strives for unpredictability. Unpredictability is chaos. Unpredictability is peaks and troughs. Unpredictability happens when you are unstable and when you have no consistency. Unpredictability is a by product of bad habits and not a trait.

I often think some Pak fans think this tag is a badge of honor. Well it does make for great tv viewing . The sudden underdog story or the funny collapses are great entertainment. And winning from nowhere is an amazing feeling. But life is made up of little progresses and promotions which should show an upward trend. A gambler who keeps buying lottery tickets and gets a bit lucky once in a while, only to squander all money in a week, is unpredictable compared to the steady guy. And he might have more money one week than the other guy. But you don't want to be in his shoes.

The sooner Pakistan gets rid of this tag, the better for them and the more professional they will seem

 

[Markhor]

The customary statement an opposition player makes when they've gotta say something nice about us.

 

[CricFan2012]

The customary statement an opposition player makes when they've gotta say something nice about us.

So accurate

 

[PakLFC]

We are predictably poor now. No maverick players in thee side anymore who can win us matches from nowhere.

 

[Usman Chadda]

We are predictably poor now. No maverick players in thee side anymore who can win us matches from nowhere.

World cricket has become too professional for mavericks to do anything.

The fact that we still end up winning an ICC trophy, yet continue to bomb otherwise is very frustrating. There's no doubt we are unpredictable, although we have been very consistent down under.

 

[The_KING]

Calling Pakistan unpredictable is a polite way of saying that Pakistan are rubbish.

 

[PakLFC]

World cricket has become too professional for mavericks to do anything.

The fact that we still end up winning an ICC trophy, yet continue to bomb otherwise is very frustrating. There's no doubt we are unpredictable, although we have been very consistent down under.

Won't know if mavericks make a difference until we have a few. The current team has no exciting players or match winners. We use the word "unpredictable" to fool ourselves and the world in to thinking that we are any good. By "maverick" I mean we don't have any exciting players at all.

 

[hitthestump]

Simply trying to promote some interest in the test series.

He knows Aus will win 2-0 and so does the rest of his team.

 

[tyron_woodley]

Won't know if mavericks make a difference until we have a few. The current team has no exciting players or match winners. We use the word "unpredictable" to fool ourselves and the world in to thinking that we are any good. By "maverick" I mean we don't have any exciting players at all.

Not true at all. naseem shah is exciting. shaheen is top class already.
Not to mention rauf on the wings.
batting is a little conceding I agree. Still there is babar and haris. What pakistam did to haris was totally unjustified. I don't know why they would suppress such a talented player. Thankfully he is back.

People said the same thing in the world cup. What happened when pakistam clicked? they beat australia, new zealand and England. Yes at the end they dint qualify but pakistan on their day is more than capable of beating anyone including too teams like india, australia and England.

Pakistan just have to find the right combination to click.

 

[The Viper]

One thing to keep in mind is that the tag of "unpredictability" is not a compliment. It's never a good thing for the unpredictable. It's a hurdle for the opposition because an unpredictable opposition can be a spanner in your carefully led plans. However that does not mean it's a positive thing for the unpredictable team

No one strives for unpredictability. Unpredictability is chaos. Unpredictability is peaks and troughs. Unpredictability happens when you are unstable and when you have no consistency. Unpredictability is a by product of bad habits and not a trait.

I often think some Pak fans think this tag is a badge of honor. Well it does make for great tv viewing . The sudden underdog story or the funny collapses are great entertainment. And winning from nowhere is an amazing feeling. But life is made up of little progresses and promotions which should show an upward trend. A gambler who keeps buying lottery tickets and gets a bit lucky once in a while, only to squander all money in a week, is unpredictable compared to the steady guy. And he might have more money one week than the other guy. But you don't want to be in his shoes.

The sooner Pakistan gets rid of this tag, the better for them and the more professional they will seem

Spot on. Being unpredictable is nothing to be proud of.

 

[Pete Rose]

Pakistan go to Australia expecting to lose. With Misbah as coach, I anticipate another meek performance. His captaincy in the Melbourne test still rankles me.

 

[PakLFC]

Not true at all. naseem shah is exciting. shaheen is top class already.
Not to mention rauf on the wings.
batting is a little conceding I agree. Still there is babar and haris. What pakistam did to haris was totally unjustified. I don't know why they would suppress such a talented player. Thankfully he is back.

People said the same thing in the world cup. What happened when pakistam clicked? they beat australia, new zealand and England. Yes at the end they dint qualify but pakistan on their day is more than capable of beating anyone including too teams like india, australia and England.

Pakistan just have to find the right combination to click.

I have been hearing this since time began. We will see how exciting Naseem and Rauf is when and if they ever represent the side. It would help if Haris was fit for a change, being always injured is the reason he is in and out of the side. We are talking Tests here not one dayers you are on about in your wins over the English and Aussies.

 

[sweep_shot]

Josh Hazlewood believes Mitchell Starc has all the right qualities to earn a test re-call after only featuring in one Test in the 2019 Ashes series.

Starc was a controversial omission from the first Test against England and was only selected for the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

It left many former Australian cricketers in shock, wondering how Australia could leave one of their best bowlers out of the side.

Starc has not let it get to him, bouncing back in the Sheffield Shield with an impressive ten-wicket haul against Tasmania.

It's a quality that Hazlewood believes has his NSW teammate primed for a big summer as part of the Australian team.

"[I've] played a lot of cricket with Starcy over the years," Hazlewood said at Kayo’s summer of cricket launch event in Sydney on Tuesday.

"[He] didn't get much of an opportunity in the Ashes.

"We know how good he is, his record is phenomenal and we saw that during the week at Drummoyne Oval."

Starc had match figures of 10/60 against Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield in a fearsome display of fast bowling.

Hazlewood believes that Starc's versatility on slower wickets is something that Australia could benefit from.

"On a low, slow wicket that didn't offer too much, he's a class above," Hazlewood said.

"On those sorts of tracks, he gets something out of it when no one else can."

Hazlewood took 20 wickets at an average of 21.85 across the four matches he played in this year's Ashes series.

He also knows better than most Australia's fast-bowling rotation, not being selected for the 2019 World Cup and not being picked for the first Test of the Ashes.

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Josh Hazlewood believes Mitchell Starc has all the right qualities to earn a test re-call after only featuring in one Test in the 2019 Ashes series.

Starc was a controversial omission from the first Test against England and was only selected for the fourth Test at Old Trafford.


It left many former Australian cricketers in shock, wondering how Australia could leave one of their best bowlers out of the side.

Starc has not let it get to him, bouncing back in the Sheffield Shield with an impressive ten-wicket haul against Tasmania.

MORE: Sheffield Shield: Will Pucovski and Michael Neser press their claims for test selection

It's a quality that Hazlewood believes has his NSW teammate primed for a big summer as part of the Australian team.

"[I've] played a lot of cricket with Starcy over the years," Hazlewood said at Kayo’s summer of cricket launch event in Sydney on Tuesday.

"[He] didn't get much of an opportunity in the Ashes.

"We know how good he is, his record is phenomenal and we saw that during the week at Drummoyne Oval."

Starc had match figures of 10/60 against Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield in a fearsome display of fast bowling.


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Hazlewood believes that Starc's versatility on slower wickets is something that Australia could benefit from.

"On a low, slow wicket that didn't offer too much, he's a class above," Hazlewood said.

"On those sorts of tracks, he gets something out of it when no one else can."

Hazlewood took 20 wickets at an average of 21.85 across the four matches he played in this year's Ashes series.

He also knows better than most Australia's fast-bowling rotation, not being selected for the 2019 World Cup and not being picked for the first Test of the Ashes.

"It's always tough [being selected] and that's how you want it to be," Hazlewood said.

"We want six or seven quicks fighting for three spots and I think that brings out the best in any bowler.

"I think we saw in England having three extra quicks there, doing training, bowling in the nets and being in view all the time to selectors...it builds the pressure up all the time."

Many have questioned the rotation of Australia's fast bowlers, but Hazlewood knows that it's an important question to have around Test cricket.

"I think at certain times you've got to play it by ear in test cricket," he said.

"You can’t predict how much we’re gonna bowl.

"If we bowl back-to-back tests where we get through 50 overs then you weigh up the decision of what to do.

"It’s conversations with the coach, selectors, physios and the players.

"It’s great to have it that way and put our opinion across of how we feel.

"We’ve got to be truthful every time, whether you’re not good to go or you are, that’s the trust they put in us."

One Australian player who is putting plenty of pressure on Hazlewood and Starc is Queensland's Michael Neser.

After touring as part of the Ashes squad, Neser is the top wicket-taker through two rounds of Sheffield Shield action, picking up 12 wickets at an average of 15.91.

He's played two ODI's for Australia but Hazlewood believes Neser is doing all the right things to finally earn a baggy green.

"Neser is a great bowler, he’s a great all-round cricketer, to be honest," Hazlewood said.

"In pretty much every format he’s always putting performances on the board, he’s a great fellow as well.

"He was awesome to have around the group in the Ashes, even though he didn’t play, he stayed up for the whole tour and he was phenomenal.

Selectors have just under a month to figure out their best bowling line-up, with Australia's first Test of the Summer against Pakistan starting on November 21 at the Gabba.

Source: https://www.sportingnews.com/au/cri...ralia-pakistan-test/u5v121l2z5bg16jg5n9wnyj1u.

 

[SensiblePakFan]

He neednt worry about the Test matches, havent won in 29 years.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Won't know if mavericks make a difference until we have a few. The current team has no exciting players or match winners. We use the word "unpredictable" to fool ourselves and the world in to thinking that we are any good. By "maverick" I mean we don't have any exciting players at all.

World cricket is devoid of mavericks. It's just extremely rare nowadays for players to win matches out of nowhere, as the top teams are usually ruthless to the point where they don't even give a sniff to the opposition.

'Exciting' is a subjective matter. I find the Indian cricket team boring to watch, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have exciting players for other fans.

 

[tyron_woodley]

I have been hearing this since time began. We will see how exciting Naseem and Rauf is when and if they ever represent the side. It would help if Haris was fit for a change, being always injured is the reason he is in and out of the side. We are talking Tests here not one dayers you are on about in your wins over the English and Aussies.

yea fitness is key. 100%. that's how kohli transformed india. No reason why pakistan can't. No more selection bias would help too. Don't pick players regardless of talent if they aren't fit.
Yea I understand I referenced odi's but every time pakistan toured England, pakistan generally has had the upper hand. Talent is clearly there.
Pakistan's weakness is bounce so south africa and australia is the main concern.
I am certain pakistan would fare well in New zeland too despite losing at home. Have a good record there and the conditions suit pakistan's potent young attack.
To combat bounce, players need to be able to play late pull shots using their backfoot.

 

[AFM]

We’re going to get white-washed for a 5th consecutive tour there. Even SL are not that bad.

How unpredictable

 

[big_gamer007]

I think Pakistan will win the T20 series. Most teams don't really care about T20I's apart from T20 WC, however, the reaction in Pakistani media after T20 loss to Sri Lanka suggested how important it is for Pakistan. The player's will give their best and should win the series.

Test matches will be a different story, unless Smith is neutralized, there is no chance for Pakistan to win.

 

[PakLFC]

World cricket is devoid of mavericks. It's just extremely rare nowadays for players to win matches out of nowhere, as the top teams are usually ruthless to the point where they don't even give a sniff to the opposition.

'Exciting' is a subjective matter. I find the Indian cricket team boring to watch, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have exciting players for other fans.

We have always had mavericks as far as I can remember. I would say Kohli is exciting where as we have no one as such. We don't have any player that excites me or can be considered as world class. Everyone knows that.

 

[PakLFC]

yea fitness is key. 100%. that's how kohli transformed india. No reason why pakistan can't. No more selection bias would help too. Don't pick players regardless of talent if they aren't fit.
Yea I understand I referenced odi's but every time pakistan toured England, pakistan generally has had the upper hand. Talent is clearly there.
Pakistan's weakness is bounce so south africa and australia is the main concern.
I am certain pakistan would fare well in New zeland too despite losing at home. Have a good record there and the conditions suit pakistan's potent young attack.
To combat bounce, players need to be able to play late pull shots using their backfoot.

Fitness comes down to diet and exercise. Just the other day we heard how our players got annoyed when Misbah supposedly banned kebabs and biryanis so that players can be super fit. He has to make it clear that any player not happy with the new diet will not be picked in the side so they can moan all they want. The ball does not bounce as much in England as it does in Aus and RSA, we have always struggled when the ball bounces more then our players are used to.

We need to play much more on bouncier pitches so players get used to it. Look at India where pitches are similar yet through hard work and innovation they have greatly improved on bouncier tracks as has their fitness levels.

 

[Sir-fraz]

Career-best haul won't shift Hazlewood's focus

On the strength of career-best first-class bowling figures at the Adelaide Oval on Monday, Josh Hazlewood could be safely considered a certainty for the summer's opening Test match later this month.

But Hazlewood refuses to look that far into the future, having learned some harsh lessons during the past 12 months in which he succumbed to a back injury and the whims of selection.

The 28-year-old found his rhythm rapidly returning throughout the course of the Marsh Sheffield Shield match against South Australia, which the Blues won by 96 runs having claimed the home team's last nine wickets in just over two sessions today.

Hazlewood was the principal architect of his team's third consecutive outright win, and his 6-35 from 18.4 immaculate overs bettered the 6-50 he claimed in the 2013-14 Shield final against Western Australia in Canberra.

He conceded that he didn't quite land the ball on his preferred length in the first innings at Adelaide, having played just one first-class game since he helped spearhead Australian's retention of the Ashes in the UK earlier in the year.

And even though the component parts of his bowling 'clicked' into place in the second innings, which began with his dismissal of SA opener Jake Weatherald from the second ball he delivered, Hazlewood dares not pre-suppose his selection for the first Domain Test against Pakistan at the Gabba from November 21.

That's because he clearly recalls the disappointment he felt when the stress fracture in his back cost him a berth in Australia's ICC World Cup squad, and a surfeit of fast bowlers kept him out of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston even though he was fully fit.

"I never look too far ahead, that's usually when cricket bites you pretty tough," Hazlewood said after the match.

"So I always just look at the next game and what next week brings, and just go from there."

While it was the workload Hazlewood undertook during last summer's four-Test series against India that eventually broke his back, it was the slight changes he made to his bowling action a year earlier that precipitated the injury.

He revealed that the prevalence of left-handed batters in England's top-order during the 2017-18 Ashes campaign in Australia led him to marginally alter the angle from which he delivered the ball.

Hazlewood finished that five-match series, which Australia won 4-0, with 21 wickets at 25.90 but his success came at a great residual cost.

"I got into some bad habits, probably bowling to England here when they had a lot of left-handers," Hazlewood said, recalling his battles with Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, David Malan and Moeen Ali.

"I kept falling away, and it kept getting worse and worse and I got a bit more lateral flex than what I like (in bowling action) and that was the cause for the stress fractures basically.

"I probably wasn't getting all my momentum going at the target, so I just did some work on that with New South Wales (bowling coach) Andre Adams … getting everything back in line.

"And I guess I'm getting the benefits now, everything's feeling really nice.

"I'm using all my energy, there's a bit more on the ball and I'm feeling good."

Hazlewood acknowledged he felt "a bit rusty" in the first innings against SA but he benefited from sending down almost 43 overs across four days at Adelaide Oval, where he will return later in the month for the second Test against Pakistan following the series opener in Brisbane.

The fact that the Adelaide Test – and the match that immediately follows, against New Zealand in Perth – are day-night matches that utilise the pink ball does not faze Hazlewood, even though he and his teammates won’t have a chance to play in a match with the pink ball before the Tests.

Instead, his warm-up will be the next Shield match for the Blues (against WA starting at the SCG next Monday), before the Test players convene in Brisbane two weeks from now.

Provided he's named in the Test squad, of course.

"We've played quite a few games now with the pink ball," Hazlewood said in playing down the lack of day-night match practice ahead of the Tests.

"It obviously does a little bit more at night, if anything.

"Especially at Adelaide, where he (ground manager Damian Hough) has got the wicket pretty much perfect.

"As we saw in the Ashes (in 2017-18), if you've got a new ball at night it can do a few tricks but I've bowled plenty with that so I don’t think it's an issue.

"You probably bowl a touch fuller out here and then in Perth (where Australia play New Zealand from December 12) you also try and bowl a touch fuller with a bit more bounce over there.

"So that's something to work on."

Domain Test Series v Pakistan

Australia squad: TBC

Pakistan squad: Azhar Ali (c), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan Snr, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah.

Warm-up match: v Australia A, November 11-13, Perth Stadium (d/n)

Warm-up match: v Cricket Australia XI, November 15-16, WACA Ground

First Test: November 21-25, Gabba (Seven, Fox & Kayo)

Second Test: November 29 – December 3, Adelaide (d/n) (Seven, Fox & Kayo)

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/jos...a-shield-pakistan-test-series-form/2019-11-04

 

[Nikhil_cric]

And Hazelwood's incredible accuracy and predictably good line and length will be the biggest threat for Pakistan.

 

[MenInG]

And Hazelwood's incredible accuracy and predictably good line and length will be the biggest threat for Pakistan.

Ominous form now.

 

[shah_1]

And Hazelwood's incredible accuracy and predictably good line and length will be the biggest threat for Pakistan.

You are right

He was the most successful bowler last series against us. 90% of the time, we will get out trying to drive the ball to Hazlewood and Cummins.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Ominous form now.

Been in great form since the Ashes. Has found rhythm and pace.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

You are right

He was the most successful bowler last series against us. 90% of the time, we will get out trying to drive the ball to Hazlewood and Cummins.

Best new ball pair in tests. Just keep hitting the right areas all day at good pace . Neither move the ball much but are still very effective.

 

[Green Patriot]

Well he cant go outright and say that we suck in Tests, especially in Australia.

 

[Abdullah719]

Patience key in Hazlewood Test journey

Spoiler

Patience has been his biggest learning since a Test debut but Josh Hazlewood can't wait to get his hands on a pink ball again in Adelaide.

The in-form Australian quick will begin his 50th Test on Friday as the hosts push for a 2-0 series win over Pakistan at a venue he rates his favourite.

A stress fracture ruled Hazlewood out of last year's day-night Test in Brisbane and he is eager to partake after a strong return during the Ashes series.

"The pink ball does swing for probably a bit longer and if you've got a new one at night we know what can happen," he said.

"I'm looking forward to getting it back in the hand, it's been quite a while."

Hazlewood averages close to 20 in four Adelaide Tests compared to 26.30 across his career and the pink ball under lights should only help his cause.

He won't expect instant results though, admitting his patience had slowly improved since a 2014 Test debut.

"I didn't know it was going to be this hard," he said.

"You learn patience ... once you get into Test cricket it's about building that pressure and patience and working on it all day.

"And a side is never going to roll over, I think that's a big one. That patience stands out for me."

Pakistan's pace attack copped some punishment in a lop-sided Brisbane Test but Hazlewood thinks their styles will prove more effective later this week.

"I think the Adelaide wicket and pink ball will suit them," he said.

"A lot of them have nice wrists and present a nice seam. So I think they will be able to swing it around.

"I think it will be hard work (for Australian batsmen), especially when it's new."

https://au.sports.yahoo.com/patience-key-hazlewood-test-journey-163045739--spt.html

 

[Hyperion66]

SL is a truly unpredictable side today, Pakistan has been consistently mediocre for quite some time.

 

[Usman Chadda]

SL is a truly unpredictable side today, Pakistan has been consistently mediocre for quite some time.

We talking about Tests only?

 

[Hyperion66]

We talking about Tests only?

Yes.

 

[topspin]

The only person to this day who has made an honest assessment of Pakistan cricket in recent times is Ian Chappell.

Everyone else plays the diplomatic card and calling Pakistan "unpredictable" is one way of doing this.

 

[MenInG]

Josh Hazlewood dismissed Virat Kohli for 63 in the third and final ODI of the series in Canberra to end the Indian captain’s quest for his first century of the year. Kohli walked back after playing a good hand but this is the first time the Indian run machine has missed out on reaching the triple figure mark in a calendar year in the 50-over format since making his debut in 2008.

More worrying for the India captain though would be the fact that he had been dismissed by the Aussie paceman for the third straight time in the series. Add to that the dismissal at the start of the year when Australia visited India and Kohli has fallen to Hazlewood four times in 6 ODI outings this year.

It is not uncommon for batsmen to get out to the same bowler when both are playing against each other every now and then. But to have a streak like this could be worrisome. Overall Hazlewood has now dismissed Kohli on 7 occasions, which includes three dismissals in Test matches.

He has joined an elite list of bowlers like countrymen Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon who have scalped Kohli’s prized wicket 7 times across formats. The others to have dismissed Kohli 7 times include retired South African paceman Morne Morkel and West Indian Ravi Rampaul.

Kohli’s struggles against James Anderson of England in Test cricket is well documented and the medium pacer along with former England off spinner Graeme Swann has dismissed Kohli 8 times.

But the bowler who has been a scourge for the Indian talisman is Kiwi Tim Southee, who has had Kohli’s number on 10 occasions in international cricket.

Hazlewood is due to come up against the Indian master in three T20Is and one Test match and could actually turn him into his bunny.

The Canberra scalp also meant Hazlewood became the third bowler to dismiss Kohli in three consecutive ODIs. The other two are Pakistan’s Junaid Khan and fellow Aussie Jhye Richardson

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...i-his-bunny/story-wA7SuLa5v6A0HfokwnnE1I.html

 

[Mamoon]

We were so unpredictable in Australia last year. Wise words by Hazlewood.

 

[MenInG]

Test quick Josh Hazlewood says the "unusual" injury that derailed his Ashes campaign was made worse by a false sense of confidence that he could recover quickly and still play a major role in the series.

Hazlewood will return to action next week for Australia's Dettol T20 series against Sri Lanka, his first game since the opening Ashes Test in Brisbane almost two months ago.

The 31-year-old has revealed he carried some discomfort in his side into that Gabba Test, but he and medical staff were confident he could manage the problem throughout the series.

Even when the injury became painful enough after Brisbane that he was ruled out of the next Test in Adelaide, Hazlewood was quickly back in the gym and confident he could reclaim his place later in the series.


But as Australia marched towards another unbeaten Ashes campaign, it became apparent that his body wasn't healing at the rate he had expected.

"That carrot was dangling there throughout the whole summer," Hazlewood told cricket.com.au.

"If I'd had a normal (side strain), a big injury and you know you're going to be out, then you can deal with it all at once. But it just kept teasing, kept teasing, I might be able to play this one, I might be able to play that one.

"I've certainly had a typical side strain, where you tear your oblique (muscle), you can't bowl another ball and are out for at least six or seven weeks.

"This one was different … the strength came back really quickly, and I could do a lot of things in the gym. It was just bowling, that dynamic movement, that caused a bit of grief. It was an unusual one."

Having helped guide Australia to a maiden T20 World Cup campaign in November, Hazlewood suspects the injury started to develop shortly after his arrival back into Australia, but he has been unable to pinpoint exactly when, adding to his frustration.

"I'd go back to even halfway through quarantine when I was bowling at training," he says.

"We thought it was a bit of just rib impingement because when you tear a muscle, it just goes in one ball. We thought it was something else … but it kept lingering around.

"I got through quite a lot of work in that period and leading into the game (at the Gabba) it was still there a little bit, but I thought I was managing it.

"You try and put your finger on something when you do an injury, whether it's taking shortcuts here or there or an increased workload or you missed your mark at training. But I'm not sure with this one, to be honest. There's obviously an increased workload, but apart from that, it was just an unlucky one, I think."

Despite playing all five Tests of Australia's 4-0 Ashes win four years ago, and famously taking the wicket that ensured they retained the urn on their 2019 tour of the UK, he expects the disappointment of missing a pinnacle series will stick with him long after he's retired from playing.

"It was very frustrating," he says.

"You probably don't realise it as much now, but when you look back in 10 years … people will talk about the Ashes when they won 4-0 in 2021 … and it'd hit you again.

"It was frustrating watching and obviously as time goes on, you'd be reminded of it more often than not. But that's part of fast bowling, I guess."

While a return to Australia's world champion T20 team looms next week, Hazlewood has one eye on the upcoming Test series in Pakistan at the start of Australia's first visit to the country in 24 years.

Despite the strong Ashes showings of Scott Boland and Jhye Richardson during Hazlewood's absence, the 56-Test veteran is confident he can regain his spot for the three-match Test series, which begins in Karachi on March 3.

But while he's confident strong security measures will be taken to ensure the tour can go ahead safely, he said the decision to travel will be left up to individuals and flagged that some may opt out.

"There's a lot of things in place and there's been a lot of work in the background by CA and the ACA," he said.

"So the trust is quite high there from the players, but there'd certainly be some concerns from the players and I wouldn't be surprised if some of them don't make the tour.

"And that's very fair. People will discuss it with their families … and come up with an answer and everyone respects that."

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/jos...tions-side-strain-ashes-t20-series/2022-02-02

 

[ex-q-zit]

Hazlewood thrives in ‘nerve-wracking’ captaincy debut

With precious little captaincy experience to his name, the unflappable Josh Hazlewood admitted he was nervous before his captaincy debut in the second Dettol ODI in Sydney.

Hazlewood became Australia's 28th men's ODI skipper when he was handed the reins with Pat Cummins' workload being managed ahead of effectively five back-to-back Tests beginning on November 30.

While the fast bowler was elevated to the Test vice-captaincy in 2018 and has been around the limited-overs 'leadership group' for some time, prior to Saturday's match at the SCG Hazlewood had never led a side in his 14-year professional career.

You have to go back all the way to school cricket for the last time he had the 'c' next to his name.

However the 31-year-old walked away from his first match in charge with win as Australia romped to a 72-run victory under Hazlewood's watch.

And the quick said it was an enjoyable experience.

Smith flourishes before Starc and Zampa rip through

With precious little captaincy experience to his name, the unflappable Josh Hazlewood admitted he was nervous before his captaincy debut in the second Dettol ODI in Sydney.

Hazlewood became Australia's 28th men's ODI skipper when he was handed the reins with Pat Cummins' workload being managed ahead of effectively five back-to-back Tests beginning on November 30.

While the fast bowler was elevated to the Test vice-captaincy in 2018 and has been around the limited-overs 'leadership group' for some time, prior to Saturday's match at the SCG Hazlewood had never led a side in his 14-year professional career.
QUICK SINGLE
Australia claim series after crucial Starc, Zampa bursts

You have to go back all the way to school cricket for the last time he had the 'c' next to his name.

However the 31-year-old walked away from his first match in charge with win as Australia romped to a 72-run victory under Hazlewood's watch.

And the quick said it was an enjoyable experience.
Unplayable! Starc peach hits top of Malan’s off stump

"It was pretty exciting and a little bit nerve-wracking," Hazlewood told reporters after the match.

"I certainly enjoyed it and it was a bit of a challenge there while that (James Vince and Sam Billings) partnership was going. And then we got a couple of wickets and that set the game up."

Hazlewood's leadership contribution proved to be decisive as he brought himself back into the attack to break the 122-run partnership between Vince and Billings that had momentarily put England in the box seat.

With the tourists needing a further 126 runs (at just under five-and-a-half runs an over), the 'Bendemeer Bullet' trapped Vince lbw for 60 only five balls after bringing himself back on to bowl.

He finished with 2-33 from seven overs despite conceding 0-21 from his first two overs, which he put down to an overwhelmed mind in the opening overs.

"I was thinking about everyone else's bowling rather than my own at the start," Hazlewood said.

"But (eventually) got into a groove there. And then everything seemed to flow pretty well.

"Obviously we've got Kez (Alex Carey) there, quite an experienced keeper to do all the angles with the field and different things.

"And the two spinners (Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa) have played a lot of cricket. They know their fields so I stayed out of their way as best I could.

"There weren't any times I had to step in at all or argue, so it was smooth sailing."

Hazlewood is hopeful his captaincy career won't end here, and feels he would be the one to step up if Cummins were to miss another ODI moving forward.

With a packed scheduled that includes 14 Test matches and over a dozen one-dayers before the ODI World Cup next year, the chances of Cummins playing every match is unrealistic, leading Hazlewood to believe he could get more chances to lead the side.

"At this stage, probably yes," Hazlewood said.

"It's hard to say, I'm a fast bowler as well and I'll probably be missing games here and there as well.

"We've obviously got Smith, who was vice-captain tonight, and down the chain there's another couple in the leadership group.

"There's plenty of options there and I felt even out in the middle there were a number of senior players I could talk to and get their opinions."

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/jos...t-australia-england-second-odi-scg/2022-11-19

 

[jnaveen1980]

To win in Australia batting has to be aggressive. Bowling has to be consistent. That is what you will get from Australia. Their bowling will be relentless. They will keep hitting the line and length over and over. you have to be up for it. Also your bowling has to be relentless. Momentary brilliance can take you only so far.

 

[daytrader]

Scans have confirmed Josh Hazlewood has sustained a low-grade left side strain.
Hazlewood will return home tomorrow to continue his rehabilitation. He will be reviewed again at the completion of the match to determine his availability moving forward.

 

[MenInG]

Josh Hazlewood will commence his bid to prove his fitness for Australia's six-Test tour of England next week, with the paceman to play his first competitive matches in four months.

Hazlewood looks set to return to the bowling crease for his Indian Premier League side Royal Challengers Bangalore for their match against Lucknow Super Giants on Monday evening (Tuesday morning AEDT).

The injury-plagued paceman has not featured in any format since hurting his Achilles during the SCG Test in January, but is eager to get his body in shape for six Tests in eight weeks beginning with the World Test Championship final against India at The Oval from June 7.

Cricket Australia medical staff have monitored Hazlewood's recovery since he linked up with RCB earlier this month. Pending a successful final training run before the match in Lucknow, he is expected to be cleared to play.

Hazlewood, who took 20 wickets at 21.85 in four Tests during the last Ashes tour in 2019, was one of only four specialist pacemen named in the Aussies' squad for the first half of their UK campaign.

The 32-year-old has only featured in 11 of Australia's past 28 Tests since that 2019 Ashes campaign, having also battled hamstring and side injuries. The fact he has been no less potent with the ball than usual over that period, snaring 38 victims at 22.26, has only added to the frustration.

He was initially selected for the four-Test tour of India but departed the series midway through having failed to overcome his nagging Achilles complaint.

Hazlewood recently flagged a new approach to preparing himself for Test series while playing in limited-overs tournaments that has a greater focus on building up his red-ball bowling loads.

"I've chatted with guys at Cricket Australia, Cricket NSW … to get a plan together. It's probably about short-term loss versus long-term gain a lot of the time," Hazlewood said in February, reiterating that Test cricket remains his top priority despite his T20 success in recent years.

"You've got a T20 World Cup or an IPL or a one-day series, it's about still ticking those boxes off the field to be ready to go for a Test series.

"It might hurt that particular series, or you might not be 100 per cent but in the long term you might be better placed for an Ashes or a home Test summer. It's just about summing up what's right and how much you can do."

RCB have six more regular season matches and currently sit fifth on the IPL standings following a loss to Kolkata Knight Riders earlier this week.

The top four IPL teams qualify for the playoffs, with the BCCI confirming this week the final would be played in Ahmedabad on May 28, 10 days before the WTC final.

Selection chief George Bailey has suggested the back-half of the IPL will allow Hazlewood, who is on a A$1.44m deal with the franchise, to gradually ramp up his bowling workloads.

"He's reasonably experienced, and he's very professional so he knows exactly what and where he'll need to be to be at his best for the Ashes," said Bailey.

"We're in constant communication, as we are with all of the players around that, so he'll be building and in some ways that smaller workload – through four-over bursts in the IPL – might be a nice build for him."

Aussies in IPL 2023

Delhi Capitals: Mitch Marsh ($1.2m), David Warner ($1.16m)

Gujarat Titans: Matthew Wade ($446,000)

Lucknow Super Giants: Marcus Stoinis ($1.7m), Daniel Sams ($135,000)

Mumbai Indians: Tim David ($1.53m), Cameron Green ($3.15m), Jason Behrendorff ($135,000), Riley Meredith ($272,000)

Punjab Kings: Nathan Ellis ($135,000), Matt Short ($36,000)

Rajasthan Royals: Adam Zampa ($270,000)

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Josh Hazlewood ($1.4m), Glenn Maxwell ($2m)

Figures represent auction price in Australian dollars at time of sale

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/jos...ralia-test-england-wtc-final-india/2023-04-28

 

[MenInG]

Experienced Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood has provided an update on his fitness ahead of next week's ICC World Test Championship Final in London.

Hazlewood has been battling a side issue in recent times and had to cut short his time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Royal Challengers Bangalore earlier this month when the injury flared up.

But Hazlewood has returned to full training and was bowling at 'close to full pace' when Australia enjoyed a training session at Formby Cricket Club in England's north on Tuesday in preparation for the one-off Test against India at The Oval that commences on June 7.

The session at the picturesque ground in Formby was just the second time Hazlewood had rolled his arm over since arriving in England last week and the 32-year-old is confident he will be fit to feature in Australia's XI for the upcoming Test against India.

"My fitness is pretty good and it is just a matter of ticking off every session from here until that date (June 7) basically," Hazlewood said.

"We will probably have anywhere from three to four more sessions - bat versus ball and then a couple of longer days in the nets as well or centre wicket down in London - so it is just ticking off those last few boxes and pulling up well from every session.

Josh Hazlewood reveals insights into Virat Kohli's success ahead of WTC Final
"It was pretty close (to full pace today). I came down for a little bowl yesterday just to loosen up and to get a bit more out of today's session, so it is feeling good.

"After a long few travel days it is always a case of the first one getting the cobwebs out and stretching out and doing some run-throughs just to get the blood flowing.

"It is always good to get the first one out of the way and when we get to London we will steam in."

The side issue Hazlewood is attempting to overcome isn't the only concern the tall quick has been battling in 2023, with the right-armer also picking up an Achilles injury during the third Test against South Africa at the SCG at the start of the year.

It meant Hazlewood failed to feature during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in India in February and March and only returned to the bowling crease with three matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore at the IPL.

While Hazlewood only bowled nine overs during his stint in the domestic Indian league, the veteran seamer said the fact he was in T20 mode and trying to utilise so many different types of deliveries may have led to his side issue.

"In T20 you are bowling a lot of various different balls every over," Hazlewood noted.

"A wide yorker, to a bouncer, to a slower ball and it probably got jammed up a little bit and a bit of scar tissue from previous injuries flared up. It calmed down pretty quickly, I had a week off but I didn't quite get back to going 100 percent at IPL. But the last few bowls have been good and I have been building up nicely."

With Australia set to take on arch-rival England in a five-match Ashes series following the one-off clash with India, Hazlewood knows his chances of appearing in all six Test matches are extremely unlikely.

Hazlewood revealed all of Australia's quicks would likely find themselves rotated in and out of the side during the matches, with skipper Pat Cummins the only fast bowler in contention to play every game.

"If you asked that question three years ago I probably would have said I would have liked to play all six but it is just different now," Hazlewood said.

"It is just so tightly consumed together now and coming off not an ideal build up … but we have got enough quicks here and a couple of others playing County cricket to cover all bases.

"Pat is perhaps looking at (playing) all six potentially depending how much we bowl in each, so you play it by ear a little bit.

"It is such a dense schedule, it is tough."

And with the likes of Scott Boland waiting in the wings and fellow fast bowlers Michael Neser and Sean Abbott already in England and producing some eye-catching performances in the County Championship, Hazlewood thinks it may work in Australia's favour to have so many quality quicks in form ahead of such a hectic upcoming schedule.

"Ness (Neser) was on the (Ashes) trip last time in 2019, Sab (Abbott) has always been there or thereabouts as the next cab off the rank and Scotty - everyone knows (how good he has been) in the last three or four years.

"It feels like that is what you need to win a big series like this and with six Tests in particular we are probably going to lean on every one of them."

ICC

 

[BouncerGuy]

Josh Hazlewood has been on the money and he got a reward for his consistency. He sets up Saud with his good line and then ends up traping him with a short ball. Fabulous stuff