Josh Hazlewood joins Australia’s 300-Test wicket club after five-for against Bangladesh

Darwin, Aug 15 (IANS) Josh Hazlewood became the ninth Australian bowler to reach 300 Test wickets after claiming his 14th career five-wicket haul in the first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin, joining an elite group that includes three of his current teammates.

Hazlewood reached the landmark in his 26th over when Mehidy Hasan Miraz edged behind while attempting to drive on the up. The 35-year-old then completed his fourth Test six-wicket haul, and his first in nine years, when Ebadot Hossain was caught behind to bring Bangladesh’s innings to an end.

Hazlewood has now joined Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc in the group of players who have each taken 300 Test wickets; they are the first Test bowlers in history to have four bowlers who have all played together and each taken at least 300 wickets.

Of Australia’s nine bowlers who have reached that figure, only Glenn McGrath (21.64), Cummins (22.21) and Dennis Lillee (23.92) have bowling averages lower than Hazlewood’s 24.02.

Talking about this achievement, Hazlewood admitted that he doesn’t focus on milestones during his playing.

“You don’t really think about those sort of milestones when you’re playing,” Hazlewood told Kayo Sports after taking his 300th wicket. “I guess it’s probably something you look back on at the end.”

“But I guess just to see the other names there, and I’m playing with three of them, so yeah, it’s pretty cool.”

Hazlewood was five wickets away from 300, having been out of action for the previous 12 months and having taken part in only six of Australia’s last 14 Tests during the period disrupted by injury.

There was also some debate over his choice for the opening Test, with Scott Boland vying for a spot in the attack. Yet Hazlewood gave a powerful performance, delivering a spell that altered the course of the match while Australia’s other bowlers had difficulty getting any breakthrough on the good batting wicket.

He was unlucky at the start of the innings when Nathan Lyon dropped a catch off Tanzid Hasan during Hazlewood’s first over, and Tanzid then scored 101 after being given a chance at 0.

Hazlewood finally ended the key partnership between Tanzid and Mominul Haque on the second morning by catching Mominul behind when he was trying to hit the ball on the up.

With the second new ball, he struck once more and got rid of Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto for 84 with a great delivery from around the wicket.

On the third day while Australia were struggling under the heat, Hazlewood kept on providing the breakthroughs by getting rid of Hasan Mahmud’s stubborn resistance through a lbw catch; he had previously seen the lbw call against Mehidy cancelled on review.

Taijul Islam was dismissed for extra bounce, the ball edging to Cameron Green at gully. Hazlewood came on after lunch to take his 300th Test wicket when Mehidy edged the ball to behind.

Hazlewood then asked for Ebadot to complete his six-wicket innings and to conclude Bangladesh’s attack.

The experienced player attributed Australia’s perseverance to the fact that Bangladesh’s batters had made the bowling attack work hard during the innings.

“They hung in there tough,” Hazlewood said. “Yeah, it’s pretty hard work out there on that track. We probably stuck it out, we didn’t let the runs flow too quickly there at the end.”

“It was just that Bangladesh hung in there nice and tough, and it was tough to get wickets out there, so it was a good effort.”

–IANS

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