Australian fast-bowler Josh Hazlewood believes that England will serve up a more seam-friendly surface at Lord’s for the second Ashes 2019 Test starting on August 14 to counter Steve Smith, but insisted the tourists have all bases covered to give a shock to the hosts with their heavy pace battery.
After an embarrassing 251 runs defeat in the first Test in Birmingham, England would certainly look for the seam-friendly conditions suited to their own style of bowling at Lord’s to make a comeback in the series.
Tim Paine took a bold step to leave out Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc out for the series opener against England, deciding to go with Pat Cummins, James Pattinson and Peter Siddle.
However, they did justice with their call, and performed exceptionally well, taking 11 wickets together as Nathan Lyon took care of the remainder to help Australia to register a comprehensive win over England.
Before the second Test at Lord’s, the Australians have tested out their bench strength in the practice game with Hazlewood and Starc along with Michael Neser, as the trio shared seven wickets between them against Worcestershire who made 201/9 dec after the tourists posted 266 for 5 decl.
Hazlewood told reporters, “I think there'll be a little bit more in it (at Lord's), but in saying that, probably their best exponent Jimmy's not going to play. So that might weigh up different options, but I think there'll be more in it, maybe just to try to get Smithy out. But him batting on those sort of tracks is very hard work. I think it suits us as much as them if there is more in the wicket, so we'll weigh it up.”
The pacer continued, “If it's a dry wicket where reverse swing might come into play, or it's a very flat, then someone like Mitch Starc can come into play. If it's nice and green and seaming around, then it's myself and Sidds. I think they (the selectors) have definitely gone a different way to 2015 and I think that's purely because of how tight the Tests are (scheduled).”
Meanwhile, the 28-year-old felt that there is a healthy competition between the pacers in the side to find a place in the Playing XI.
He further explained, “That's why we've got six (quicks) here and any one can do a job on any given day. We've got three guys with proper air speed and three guys who seam and swing a little bit. I think that's what they (selectors) have got six quicks for, to have all bases covered. And I guess it's just who's bowling best at that particular time leading into the Test, and who gets the nod. I think every quick really feels the pressure of the other five and vice versa, and it is great competition to have in the squad.
Sidds has obviously been playing a lot of cricket and I think the other guys picked themselves. Jimmy (Pattinson) has been bowling fantastic for Nottinghamshire and on the Australia A tour and in Southampton as well bowled incredibly. So, it's pretty stiff competition at the moment, and we've got Mitch Starc and Michael Neser as well. It's a great group of guys, we all want everyone else to do really well as a group, and try and win the Ashes as a group of six not just us and them playing.”
While the pacer has played one Test at Lord’s so far, but he is confident of troubling the English batters if he gets the nod for the second Ashes Test on Wednesday.
Hazlewood signed off by saying, “I've just played the one Test there, but I thought I got used to the slope pretty quickly and felt pretty comfortable there. The conditions there have been quite bowler-friendly the last few Test matches, so I'd love another opportunity. I was quite young, and quite inexperienced at that level when I first played a Test match and it probably passed me by pretty quickly. But just playing at Lord's in an Ashes Test, it doesn't really get much better so I'm looking forward to it.”
(With Cricketnext Inputs)
