First Test: Josh Hazlewood says Australia will begin bouncer barrage against India if necessary
Aussie spearhead Josh Hazlewood has rejected calls to ban the bouncer following a number of batsmen being hit in the head this summer.
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Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has smashed suggestions cricket needs to ban the bouncer – declaring it a wicket-taking weapon that is crucial to success on home soil.
In eight alarming days, the short ball knocked out Will Pucovski, Harry Conway and Ravi Jadeja, while Cameron Green suffered a freak concussion while bowling at the SCG on Friday.
Pucovski’s baggy green dream was again put on hold after the 22-year-old’s ninth concussion ruled him out of Thursday’s day-night Test against India.
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But tailender Hazlewood said he was prepared to face Jasprit Bumrah’s chin music, and there would be no going easy on the visitors with the pink ball in hand at Adelaide Oval.
“I think it’s here to stay, to be honest,” Hazlewood said.
“I know when I’m going out to bat that’s what I’m facing. I think it’s an integral part of the game.
“It’s about getting the wickets and cleaning up that tail as quick as we can.
“If that’s the best option then we’ll go down that path.
“We’re not looking to hurt anyone or injure anyone or hit anyone in the head.
“But it certainly brings about wickets quicker than not doing it.”
Hazlewood said as soon as India’s batters appeared comfortable on the front foot they would load up the leg-side and hammer it in short.
“That’s always been part of the game here in Australia,” he said.
But perhaps most concerning for Virat Kohli’s bowlers is the form of Steve Smith, who Hazlewood said was the clear standout at Australia’s centre-wicket practice at Adelaide Oval.
Smith and Matthew Wade have been Australia’s best batsmen at training while Nathan Lyon has been the pick of the attack.
“He’s getting nice shape on his deliveries and his pace is brilliant, very accurate,” Hazlewood said.
Australia’s fast-bowling battery was exhausted by India’s unmovable top-order last series, most notable No.3 wall Cheteshwar Pujara, who faced a staggering 1208 deliveries.
Now, Hazlewood has called on his batsmen to put Bumrah’s band to sleep.
“That’s the batsmen’s goal –to score runs in that Test, but also to keep the frontline attack on the field as long as possible and get the benefits of that later in the series, which is exactly what happened last time around,” Hazlewood said.
“We spent a lot of time in the field in Melbourne with short rests in between, and then again in Sydney.
“In four and five-match Test series that’s a huge goal of the batters, to not only score runs in those early games but to spend a lot of time in the middle to get some miles in the legs of opposition bowlers.”
But Hazlewood warned that bowling with the pink ball under lights was not the panacea as India prepares for just its second day-night Test, and first away from home.
“The game moves very quickly at night compared to the day time, especially when the quicks are bowling,” he said.
“But in saying that, it’s the type of ball you have.
“If you have a new ball at night, as we’ve seen if we go back to when we played England and Jimmy and Broady were swinging it around corners, the game moved very quickly.
“But if you have an old ball at night and two batters are set it can be pretty free-flowing.”
Australia has won all five day-night Test matches it has played.
SECRET SESSIONS PRIME STARC FOR ADELAIDE
Fears Mitchell Starc could be underdone for the first Test have been allayed, after some secret net sessions for the Aussie spearhead at the SCG.
Josh Hazlewood has backed his new-ball partner to lead Australia’s attack in the series opener, just three days after he touches down in Adelaide on Monday.
In another major boost for Australia following their chaotic preparation, Cameron Green has made further improvements following his mild concussion and will fly with Starc and other squad members on a private charter to join the main party in Adelaide and push his claim for a Test debut.
Starc, 30, withdrew from the final two T20 games against India on compassionate grounds due to a family illness which required him to leave the squad’s bio-secure hub.
But Hazlewood said interrupted preparations had become par for the course in COVID-19 times and backed the left-armer to light it up under lights.
It’s understood Starc had two bowling sessions in Sydney over the weekend and has had the same load put into his body as his cartel mates Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.
“Everyone knows his numbers with the pink ball are pretty special, so we welcome him with open arms,” Hazlewood said on Sunday.
“I think he’ll be fine. If we’ve learnt anything from this series it’s that nothing goes to plan.
“I’m sure this hiccup will be no different for Starcy.
“He’s a professional and would’ve been doing everything he could over the last week and once he comes into camp he’ll jump straight in and be ready to go.”
Starc’s swing with the pink ball has him short odds to open the bowling against India in the only Test match Virat Kohli will play this series.
Starc boasts the formidable record of 59 wickets at 18.6 in the 10 pink-ball first-class matches he has played.
His selection would once again see James Pattinson and Michael Neser outside the XI.
Green will need to get through training sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday and pass further testing to play, but early indications are all positive for the 21-year-old all-rounder following the sickening blow he copped to the head while bowling against India in a tour game on Friday.
Starc’s combined 1-147 from two ODIs against India left some questioning the form of the man labelled the best white-ball bowler in world cricket by coach Justin Langer.
But Starc hit back with two wickets in the only T20 he played before leaving the bubble, and spin king Shane Warne praised the frontline seamer for sending down 75.5 overs in the Sheffield Shield on the cusp of the international summer.
“Starc’s not one of those bowlers where you’re looking for consistency from him,” Warne wrote in his exclusive News Corp column.
“You’re looking for one spell somewhere where he takes three or four wickets and turns the match with hostile and aggressive bowling.”
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