Ashes 2021 first Test: Australia reveals why Josh Hazlewood didn't bowl to Joe Root

Australia has revealed why Josh Hazlewood watched his bunny, England captain Joe Root, compile a potential match-saving innings without bowling to him for three hours at the Gabba.

Joe Root’s three quicks are his only hope of salvaging the first Ashes Test. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty

Australia insists Josh Hazlewood is not injured despite one of the world’s most bankable bowlers watching on as Joe Root force-fed flashbacks of last summer’s Gabba nightmare.

After declaring this Ashes series will define him as a cricketer, Root is in the midst of his finest ever knock on Australian soil, leading a brave fightback which dramatically turned the tables on Pat Cummins’ team and invited dreams of an English miracle to rival India’s from 10 months ago.

Australia’s massive 278-run first innings lead means England still have a long way to go to get themselves into a position where they can win the match, but a courageous unbeaten 150 run partnership from Root (86 not out) and Dawid Malan (80 not out) has given the tourists hope when there was none with the deficit down to 58.

Root has never scored a hundred in Australia from three tours, but one here could change everything.

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So rampant was their first innings demolition of England, Australia’s bowling attack suddenly looked drained of energy on day three, with Nathan Lyon battling helplessly to crack a long-awaited 400-wicket milestone that has started looking like a burden.

Root, Malan and the sapping Brisbane heat went to work and Hazlewood mysteriously disappeared from the attack for nearly 40 overs – not leaving the field, but rather hovering in the outfield for three hours as Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Lyon were left to carry the load.

Hazlewood is normally the ironman of bowlers who can charge in all day – but he only completed eight overs on day three and didn’t bowl after the 29th over, having only one crack at Root despite his incredible record against him, which included claiming his scalp in the first innings.

On top of that, David Warner is battling the enormous discomfort of severely bruised ribs, giving England further incentive to dig in and post a competitive fourth innings target.

At stumps, Lyon was still desperately searching at 0-69 from 24 overs of bowling all day, and England had whittled Australia’s lead down to 58 with eight wickets still in the shed at 2-220.

Malan said another 100-run partnership to start day four and England would feel in a position where they could post a competitive fourth innings target on a two-paced pitch.

Despite the horrors of Rishabh Pant and India running Australia down from behind to end the Gabba dynasty last summer, Marnus Labuschagne says the team is remaining calm and inferred Hazlewood’s bizarre break from bowling was due more to managing his workload following a preparation of T20 cricket.

Joe root raises his bat after notching 50.

“Our feeling in the change room is very calm. It’s Test cricket. You never expect any Test nation especially playing England in the Ashes to come in and roll over,” said Labuschagne.

“Test cricket is a grind otherwise it wouldn’t mean so much to both countries. We just have to make sure we come back tomorrow, review our plans and how we bowled today and come up with ideas to go get those eight wickets.

“Hoff (Hazlewood) is fine. We’re just making sure we prepare really well. We know there’s times at the Gabba where not as many wickets fall and to hold in that period and rotate our bowlers well.”

Australia’s bowlers have been forced to once again confront the demons of last summer, when India fought back off the ropes to destroy Australia’s famous 30-year unbeaten dynasty at the Gabba.

Joe Root has invited dreams of an English miracle.

Facing the daunting pressure of a pair following his first innings duck as well as humiliating defeat, Root stood up to be counted to take the wind out Australia’s sails and confirm why he is ranked the world’s No.1 batsman.

Captain Pat Cummins said before the Test that the biggest lesson from that chastening experience was not sticking at plans for long enough.

“I think tactically you could make a couple of changes. We could have stuck at a couple of plans for a bit longer and really leaned on our strengths for a bit longer of bowling full, attacking the stumps those kind of things,” Cummins told News Corp before the Test of the learnings against India.

“It’s also amazing how quickly a day of 90 overs can go. With a couple of partnerships it can disappear even if it’s day five.”

Now the pressure is on Australia to regroup on the run and reassert themselves on day four.

England captain Root has continued one of the most dominant years’ by a batsman in recent Test history, as he sped past Michael Vaughan (1481 in 2002) for most runs by an Englishman in a calendar year.

Root had not shied away from the weight of expectation he was carrying on his shoulders as the only member of his top six with a Test average above 40.

Root’s captaincy and tactics has been savaged by ex-greats including Ian Chappell, but Fox Cricket expert Vaughan told News Corp before this Test that the boy-faced star’s only job as skipper at the Gabba was to make a mark on the scoreboard.

Root himself concedes his legacy hinges on this series.

Originally published as Ashes 2021 first Test: Australia reveals why Josh Hazlewood didn't bowl to Joe Root

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