Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has on Saturday, 24th August, opined that England will take time to recover from the scars of their horror batting show at Headingley and the tourists will be certainly looking to make the most of the psychological damage in the ongoing Ashes 2019.
Hazlewood’s five-wicket haul (5-30) helped the Kangaroos to skittle England out for just 67 inside 28 overs on the Day 2 of the ongoing third Ashes Test in Leeds, and the paceman believes that their woeful batting display puts Australia on the verge of retaining the Ashes urn.
While 67 in Leeds was England's lowest Ashes total since 1948, Hazlewood said Australia were beginning to reopen their old wounds of 2005 Test series when the Lions bowled the hosts out for 60 during an Ashes-clinching win in Nottingham four years ago.
Claiming the psychological damage has already done, the paceman said the tourists will continue with their plans to stay patient and disciplined with their lines and create doubt in the hosts’ mind throughout the rest of the games in the ongoing Ashes series.
Hazlewood said, “I guess we might be starting with a few scars there. I mean, 60-odd is hard work to come back from during a Test. I don’t think many teams are winning from there. It makes it difficult, so if we start well again next innings, they might think here we go again. So, it’s about creating that doubt in the mind. The way we have gone about it, it’s not letting the foot off now. It’s to keep going.”
Meanwhile, the Aussie was also delighted to be able to get rid of the England captain Joe Root, who went for successive ducks in the ongoing Test series batting at No.3, in his heartbreaking spell in Leeds.
He continued, “I certainly like him in there as early as possible. He’s the captain, he’s got the best average, he’s their best batsman going by numbers. So, if we can get him I think they can be vulnerable at times. It’s the same as any other team – if their best batter’s out you feel a bit more relaxed about your business.”
On his plan for England’s batsmen, the pacer said: “That’s probably the general plan. They’re all great one-day cricketers, some are great Test cricketers.”
Hazlewood signed off by saying, “I think they love to feel bat on ball, especially through that middle order. So, if we can dry up the runs and force a mistake, which we saw a couple of today, then that’s fantastic.”
(With AFP Inputs)
