Cricket World Cup: Josh Hazlewood seizes big chance with four-wicket haul against Pakistan

THE music has stopped in Australia’s game of musical chairs, and Josh Hazlewood is the man sitting pretty after finally nailing his opportunity against Pakistan.

ICC WORLD CUP CRICKET - Australia v Pakistan

THE music has stopped in Australia’s game of musical chairs, and fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is the man sitting pretty after finally nailing his opportunity against Pakistan.

Australia haven’t played the same No.3 bowler in consecutive matches for the duration of the World Cup, and so it continued on Friday in the pressure-cooker of a quarter-final with Pat Cummins axed to make way for Hazlewood.

It was a risk.

Hazlewood is regarded as the superior up-front bowler, but as the 50-over innings wears on, there are concerns over him becoming too one-dimensional.

But after waiting all tournament for one of their young quicks to seize the moment alongside Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson, selectors breathed a sigh of relief.

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Hazlewood delivered in emphatic fashion at Adelaide Oval and there was nothing one-dimensional at all about his four-wicket triumph, as Pakistan was rolled for just 213.

Shane Watson and Steve Smith made outstanding 50s as Australia won by six wickets to book a place in the semi-finals, but it was Hazlewood who laid the foundations for the emotion-charged victory.

He hit the perfect length from his opening delivery and in the sixth over made the breakthrough, taking the edge of Ahmed Shehzad, which captain Michael Clarke gobbled up at second slip.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin was so keen to celebrate he appeared to roll his ankle on his way to the group hug that had formed around the giant fast bowler.

If it wasn’t for the zing light-up bails and their extra few grams of weight, Hazlewood might have struck again two balls later with the big wicket of Pakistan captain Misbah ul-Haq.

The ball clipped ul-Haq’s leg-stump and the bails lit-up, before sitting back down in their grooves.

Josh Hazlewood celebrates with David Warner.

But at least it showed Hazlewood had found his groove as well.

Most impressive was the way Hazlewood kept on coming in his second and third spells to close out with figures of 4-35 from his 10 overs – the most economical of any of the bowlers.

Two overs into his second stint Hazlewood sent danger man Shahid Afridi packing – a crucial wicket as Pakistan crumbled at 6-158 after 34.

Then Hazlewood returned for his finale eight overs later and immediately bounced out the tail.

Hazlewood was relentless and his impact through every stage of the innings was a reminder of his class.

Josh Hazlewood found good rhythm against Pakistan.

It looked like it was all over for the right-armer from Tamworth just one match into this World Cup, when he was dropped for a sluggish performance against England in the opener at the MCG.

Given Australia won that match by 111 runs it showed selectors weren’t settling for mediocrity with their best XI and figures of 0-45 simply weren’t good enough.

As brilliant as Hazlewood was against India in his debut Test series, this was a different ball game.

Young prodigy Cummins was blooded against New Zealand in Auckland, with selectors favouring his blitzing pace and variety through the middle and end of the innings.

Twenty-four hours later Cummins was diagnosed with a side strain and Hazlewood was back in Perth, but against Afghanistan it never felt like it was permanent.

Josh Hazlewood impressed in his second and third spells.

Sure enough, in Sydney four days later Xavier Doherty joined the attack and then for the final pool match against Scotland, Cummins returned.

But to Hazlewood’s credit there was no kicking cans or taking the foot off the pedal.

In fact the 24-year-old went to another level in the nets and paid dividends.

Cummins was loose and expensive against the Scots and all of a sudden Hazlewood roared back into the reckoning, with Australian players emerging from the nets on Tuesday in Adelaide raving about his form.

On Friday it was Pakistan’s turn to feel the wrath of a determined fighter.