Facing Bangladesh in unfamiliar Darwin a ‘refreshing’ challenge: Hazlewood

Brisbane, Aug 6 (IANS) Senior fast bowler Josh Hazlewood believes Australia’s upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh in Darwin presents a ‘refreshing’ challenge, as they prepare to face them in conditions which are unfamiliar to them.

The series opener at Marrara Stadium on August 13 marks Australia’s return to Test cricket at the venue after a 22-year hiatus. For Hazlewood, who has over 400 professional matches to his name, but has faced Bangladesh just nine times in his 15-year international career, the unique setup forces the team to think on their feet.

“There’s a lot of unknowns going in. You’ve got the ground, that’s an unknown. The wicket in particular, (and) the opposition in these conditions. So there are a lot of unknowns, but I think it’s exciting.

“There’s definitely footage and we can find some trends against these batters, but it might be a case of summing it up out there and coming up with plans on the run as well, which is always refreshing,” he said on the Unplayable Podcast on Thursday.

Former Australian fast bowler Kane Richardson warned that the drop-in surface in Darwin, baked under the dry winter sun, is unlikely to offer traditional Australian pace and bounce. He instead pointed to low-bounce conditions reminiscent of the subcontinent.

“I’m not sure what to expect (regarding the conditions). It’s not going to be Perth Stadium, day one, or the Gabba. I don’t think it will be that typical Australian Test pitch where the quicks are super effective in terms of seam movement and swing and bounce, but it could be more similar to what Bangladeshi conditions are, in terms of low bounce.”

Hazlewood, who currently sits on 295 Test wickets, acknowledged that while conditions and opposition might require mid-game adjustments, his overarching strategy remains focused on basic discipline over long spells.

“It’s a pretty simple plan (for Test cricket). It’s just execution, and it’s execution for a long period of time. Things might change a little bit out there as the day goes on or the game goes on, but in general, it’s a pretty simple game plan a lot of the time.

“You have time to adapt out there. You might be halfway through your first spell and think, ‘Oh, let’s try this, let’s try that’. In T20, you don’t have that time … if you’re a touch off, it’s six,” he added.

–IANS

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