Josh root of Joe’s problems
IS JOE Root on track to become Josh Hazlewood’s bunny? Root is one of the world’s best batsmen, and has flourished since taking over in February as England’s Test skipper.
England are 2-0 down in the Ashes against Australia, with Root shaping as his side’s main hope of salvaging anything out of the series.
The 26-year-old is yet to showcase his full potential this series, but has looked solid at times in compiling scores of 15, 51, nine and 67. But for the two innings where he passed 50 and looked set to get a big score, it was Hazlewood who brought him undone.
Hazlewood’s most-important strike was in the second innings of the Adelaide Test, where Root’s dismissal early on the final day sparked the end of England’s fightback.
During Australia’s losing Ashes campaign in England in 2015, Hazlewood snared Root’s wicket twice from seven innings.
Four dismissals from 11 innings facing Hazlewood does not put Root in bunny territory.
But if Hazlewood can rattle Root’s cage a few more times this series, the bunny title could stick.
Hazelwood said Root was the prized wicket Australia were after.
“Yeah, absolutely. I think all the bowlers want that wicket,” Hazlewood said ahead of the third Test starting tomorrow at the WACA Ground.