Australia pacer Josh Hazelwood’s Ashes 2021-22 series came to end prematurely after he was ruled out of the upcoming fifth and final Test match to be played at Hobart after failing to recover from his side strain.
Hazlewood has been sidelined from Australia playing XI since helping the side win the first Test in Gabba by 9 wickets. Since then, Jhye Richardson and Scott Boland have been given chances in his place and both have done well, picking fifers and six-fers respectively.
"We thought Josh Hazlewood was coming back into the team. Unfortunately, Josh hasn't come up. Hopefully, he'll be right for the white-ball games. It's been really tough on him. He's been really hanging out to play this Ashes series like everyone. He's missed three games, he's one of our premier fast bowlers,” Langer told reporters after the third day's play in the fourth Test in Sydney.
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Despite missing Hazlewood and even Cummins for one Test, Australia has managed to get an unassailable 0-3 lead in the Test series with Mitchell Starc leading the way. Jhye Richardson picked a five-wicket haul in the day-night Test in Adelaide, which Australia won by 275 runs.
Scott Boland replaced Richardson for the Melbourne Test and picked 6/7 to rout England and win the match by an innings and 14 runs.
However, Boland himself was sent for scans after his awkward fall while bowling the final ball of Friday's second session but Langer said the 32-year-old Victorian would be ready to bowl when England resume on 258-7 on Saturday.
"He was actually alright to bowl tonight. Thankfully there are no fractures. He's going to be sore in the cartilage between his ribs, but hopefully, he'll be right to bowl tomorrow or in the second inning,” Langer said.
(Reuters inputs)
