Hazlewood eyes T20 Cup berth
JOSH Hazlewood wants to use his longest stint of whiteball cricket to push his way into Australia’s Twenty20 World Cup squad after missing last year’s ODI tournament.
Hazlewood returned for Australia on Sunday against India, taking 1-55 to be the best of the pacemen in his first ODI in 14 months.
The beanpole quick has not played a T20 for Australia since the last shortest-form World Cup in 2016, but wants to break into this year’s squad.
He can also help his chances in his BBL return this weekend with the Sydney Sixers, after going at only 4.6 runs an over in his first two domestic T20 games this summer.
Hazlewood has also not played 10 straight white-ball internationals without a Test in between since 2016.
But the Aussies have 12 in the next 2½ months and up to another 15 this year before the World Cup after a brief Bangladesh Test tour.
“You don’t often get that period of white-ball cricket in a row,” Hazlewood said.
“I want to try to get back in the team and cement myself in there. It’s been a while since those periods.
“But it absolutely helps (playing chunks of white-ball cricket).
“You get in the rhythm of playing that format.
“Whether it’s one day or T20, it’s a lot different to Test cricket.”
Hazlewood was ranked as one of the world’s best whiteball bowlers two years ago, and was Australia’s top wickettaker in 2017 in ODI cricket.
But he was injured late in the 2018-19 summer, and was controversially overlooked for last year’s 50-over World Cup in England.
“It’s hard to force your way back in sometimes,” he said.
EAST Belmont is through to the GCA1 T20 final after an eight-wicket victory over Lara at Bisinella Oval last night.
Chasing 148 for victory, the Lions got off to a blistering start through opening duo Matt Lineker (61) and Sean O’Neill (59), with both batsmen registering half-centuries to set the run chase up for the visitors.
The pair put on 124 before being dismissed within two overs of each other, leaving Luke Bridges and Hayden McMahon to finish the job in the 20th over with three balls to spare.
O’Neill, who flew into the country from the US yesterday morning, said his side always had belief it could chase the total down if it began its innings aggressively.
“The outfield was fast so we were pretty confident if we got off to a good start we could give it a good shake,” O’Neill said.
“Thankfully, Matt Lineker was in really good touch early.
“I was a bit scratchy and couldn’t really get off strike, but fortunately Matt took the ascendancy away from them.
“We had the required run rate below seven as fast as we could, which was our goal from the start, and being out at Lara if you hit a good shot, it goes for four, so you get good value for money if you play well.”
East Belmont will play Newtown and Chilwell in the GCA1 T20 final, despite the Two Blues falling to South Barwon in the last game of pool B.
The Swans had set Newtown just 121 for victory, but managed to defend the target, holding on to claim a four-run win.