Josh Hazlewood hopes his standing as a big dog in the Australian pace attack will leverage him back in the Test team at his home ground, as the dry SCG pitch and worrisome Sydney forecast create a quandary ahead of the third and final Test against South Africa, beginning on Wednesday.
Australian players paced up and down the dry and patchy pitch before training on Monday afternoon, with captain Pat Cummins and spinner Nathan Lyon taking particular notice as Australia strive for a 3-0 clean sweep that would sure up their place in the World Test Championship.
Josh Hazlewood bowling in the SCG nets on Monday. He remains hopeful of a recall for the Sydney Test.Credit:Getty Images
“Potentially two spinners,” Hazlewood said after musing over the strip. “There’s a few decisions [for the selectors] to make. I assume they’ll leave it as late as possible.”
Whatever combination the selectors choose in the absence of injured pair Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green, Hazlewood hopes his imposing record of 217 wickets at 26 will put him ahead of the less experienced fast bowlers in the squad, the ultra-reliable Scott Boland and West Australian pace merchant, Lance Morris.
“I still think it’s in place,” Hazlewood said of the pecking order that saw Scott Boland as first replacement off the rank when Pat Cummins pulled out of the Adelaide Test against the West Indies. Then Michael Neser covered for Hazlewood when he was sidelined with a side strain for the second season running.
“It’s always good to have pressure and every time Scotty’s played, he’s done remarkably well. With the Ashes coming up it’s a big one [tour] that he’s looking at, and he’s a similar bowler to myself and Pat. We could potentially all play there together on a wicket that might seam and swing. It’s great to have options and it keeps you on your toes. ”
Nathan Lyon watches Ashton Agar bowl during training at the SCG on Monday.Credit:Getty Images
Standing in the middle of the SCG on a picture-perfect Sydney day, the pitch screams two spinners, but the traditional Sydney Test forecast of showers does not, which threatens to derail the potential for left-arm spinner Ashton Agar to play his first Test in five years.
In the past, Hazlewood has played alongside another left-arm tweaker, Steve O’Keefe, with good results.
“I’m not the best reader of a cricket wicket [but] lends itself to that [two spinners],” Hazlewood said. “There’s less grass and it’s quite a lot drier, I think footmarks will come in [to play] early on in the game. I’ve definitely played here with SOK [O’Keefe] and Gazza [Lyon] before and it’s worked a number of times. There are options which is always good.
“It’s obviously patchy, there’s patchy bits of grass, there’s patches of dry [turf], typical SCG. So, I think it will definitely be two-paced.
‘There’s a few decisions to make. I assume they’ll leave it as late as possible.’
Josh Hazlewood on Australia’s team for the SCG Test
“I think it will be up and down as well and will take turn. It’s different to everywhere in Australia and I think that’s a good thing. It’s probably a good Test to play leading into India.”
Groundsman Adam Lewis told the Herald and The Age this week that the pitch would be similar to the Sheffield Shield pitch for the NSW – Western Australia match in late November, which was dominated by spinners.
However, the complicating factor remains the weather, with showers forecast on the first three days. Damp conditions could prevent the pitch from breaking up .
It has been a frustrating 13 months for Hazlewood, who turns 32 next week. Twice he’s broken down during the opening Test of the season and last summer he missed the remaining four Ashes Tests. This season he has missed the second Test against the West Indies and the first two against South Africa.
Pat Cummins celebrates dismissing captaincy counterpart Dean Elgar during the Boxing Day Test.Credit:Getty Images
In between he missed two of Australia’s three Tests in Pakistan and both in Sri Lanka as the sacrificial pace bowler as Australia went for a second spinner. That was leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson, who has been ignored for this Test.
“It’s frustrating,” Hazlewood said. “I don’t feel like I’ve been injured much. It was three weeks last year and two weeks this year. It just happens to be at the wrong time of the year, after the first Test. The Test matches are so close together now.”
