Ashes 2019: Josh Hazlewood returns for Second Test, but Mitchell Starc on outer

Josh Hazlewood returns for Second Test … but reasons given for that decision spell doom for Mitchell Starc.

Australian fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, left, and Josh Hazlewood speak during rain delays at Lord’s overnight. Picture: AP

Josh Hazlewood won a place in the second Test side and the reasons given for that decision make it hard to see how Mitchell Starc gets a start in the series.

The Australians are taking a conservative approach to batting and bowling, favouring drier lines over swing and control over speed.

Short of injury or emergency (England going ahead in the series) it is hard to see the fiery left armer fitting those plans.

Justin Langer’s explanation for choosing Hazlewood as a replacement for James Pattinson must ring forebodingly in Starc’s ears.

“He’s got an outstanding record,” the coach said of Hazlewood. “He’s built up over the past few months. He missed out on the World Cup because we felt he hadn’t played much cricket.

“We know he’s an outstanding bowler, we know that the style of play against England that at his best he should execute those plans really well. He has bowled well the last couple of weeks and we hope he does a good job.

“He hits a great length, he’s usually pretty miserly with his economy rate, that’s what gave him the edge in this game. Don’t get me wrong, it was a hard decision. If it comes off we know what we are doing, if it doesn’t we don’t, that’s just the business we are in. It was a tough call.”

James Pattinson. Picture: Getty Images

Langer said James Pattinson, who played the first Test, had input into the decision to rest him.

“He took it well, we collaborated on that one,” he said. “And I think it’s been important for him in his return to cricket, I think in the past he’s felt a bit that he had to play and had to play and had to push and had to push and in those instances he usually broke at some point.

“He was a little bit stiff after bowling on Monday morning. We knew he would only bowl one of the two back to back games, and whilst he’s had eight or nine days, we knew he couldn’t play back to back Test matches.

“We just felt that having pulled up a little stiff after bowling and we thought it would be common sense to keep getting himself hungry and prepared for the third Test.”

If Pattinson can play the remaining three games it will be difficult for Starc, who was outstanding in the World Cup and has been a permanent member of the Test XI in recent seasons, playing.

Langer later denied this was the situation and said he would not be surprised to see him play the next few Tests.

Play threatened to start on occasions during the first day and Langer admitted it would have been a toss the team would rather not win.

“We had a joke there for a moment, if the captain tosses the coin and he wins the toss can he ask the opposition to make the choice,” the coach said. “I think we decided you can’t do that. A couple of the umpires weren’t sure, but they checked for us, but you have to make a decision. It is going to be a tough call.

“Today would have been tough, we knew there was a bit of rain around, some overhead conditions, the grass is wet and knowing the Dukes ball gets a bit soft when it gets a bit wet. Lucky Tim didn’t have to make the decision. We’ll see how it pulls up but it looks like a pretty good cricket wicket. Quite dry through underneath.”

There are now 98 overs of play scheduled for the remaining four days of play which begin at the usual time. As there was no toss it now becomes a four-day Test with a follow on mark of 150, not 200.