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Australian bowler Josh Hazlewood will be hoping to play the last two Tests of the ongoing Ashes series with injuries that have greatly hampered his career in 2023 so far. The right arm armer did not participate in the Border-Gavaskar Series as well as the World Trials Championship (WTC) Final due to an Achilles problem and a subsequent side strain.
Hazlewood found a place in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston, Birmingham where he took three wickets. The pacer kept his place for the Second Test at Lord’s, before losing out to Scott Boland in the Third Final Test at Headingley, Leeds.
The 32-year-old has stated that he does not feel rusty while bowling and hopes to make an impression over the last two Ashes Tests, should he be selected. He said:
“I felt good. I was probably not up for that World Test Championship and then I got ready for the first match. I didn’t look so rusty when I was there in the middle. Once you get that big day’s workload under you, you’ll feel a lot better at sprinting.” “.
He completed:
“I felt better and better as I walked along. Hopefully after that little break, I’ll be back shooting again.”
Scott Boland hasn’t been able to show his ability in the continuing Ashes yet and he could find himself out of the starting line-up for the upcoming Fourth Test, with the likes of Hazlewood and Michael Neser proving he can substitute.
“Missing Headingley may have set me up for the last two games” – Josh Hazlewood
Josh Hazlewood was part of the playing XI when Australia retained the Ashes at Old Trafford, Manchester in 2019. He took six wickets in both innings as the visitors won by 185 runs.
Hazlewood opined that his dropping the Third Test may have been a ruse to get him fired in the last two Tests. He said:
“Missing out on Headingley, maybe it was to set me up for the last two games. I know they back-to-back but we didn’t play too many overs. Hopefully that work is behind me now, in a better position than I was a month ago.”
he added:
“This kind of puts me in a good place. Hopefully I can get through the last two games and play my part and do what I usually do.”
The fourth Ashes Test is scheduled to start on Wednesday, 19 July, at Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester. Australia currently lead the series 2-1 and are one win away from securing their first Red Ball series victory in England since 2001.
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