Hazlewood can be star like McGrath saysLanger
FORMER Australian opener Justin Langer believes Josh Hazlewood can tear England apart in the same way Glenn McGrath used to.
Hazlewood has played just one Sheffield Shield game this season though he impressed while taking 3-24 and 3-49 for NSW.
And with Australia’s bowling attack consisting of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc as well as Hazlewood, Langer believes the 26-yearold can be the spearhead.
Langer, 46, said: “Josh is an absolute superstar, the current day Glenn McGrath. The attack for Australia, if they stay healthy, will be a big problem for England.
“Mitchell Starc could do what Mitchell Johnson did four years ago, but equally it could be Pat Cummins or Josh Hazlewood, they’re all such strong bowlers.” SHANE Warne described him as having the ‘Xfactor’ but Glenn Maxwell is on a mission to change his public perception.
When picking his Ashes XI during the summer, former spinner Warne suggested Maxwell could be a game-breaker if selected.
There’s no guarantee Maxwell will even be part of the Baggy Green side when it all kicks off in Brisbane but the 29-yearold wants to build his case on reliability rather than his wow factor.
Maxwell said: “I’m not talking about the word ‘X-factor’ again. The selectors made it pretty clear that they wanted the top six batters in the country and I want to put my hand up and be one of them.
“I have the ability to score quickly but recently I’ve been more concentrating on just playing good cricket shots and making sure that I’m there for a longer period of time.
“I feel like I’m starting ahead of the pack because I played the last Test (in Bangladesh). Even if it was in a different country, I feel like I batted quite well and I showed some really good signs.” JACKSON Bird looks set to be named in Australia’s squad for the first Test having travelled to Brisbane with Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc.
The quartet will all train at the National Cricket Centre as they look to acclimatise before the Test and will all miss next week’s Sheffield Shield round of matches.
Bird is likely to just be 12th man for the opener, though that could be reviewed ahead of the second Test in Adelaide, which will be a day-nighter. DAVID Lloyd believes Australia have just as many problems as England before the series.
There is still the mystery over Ben Stokes’ availability and injuries are piling up for the tourists with Steven Finn having to fly home and Jake Ball suffering an ankle sprain.
But Lloyd says Australia’s set-up isn’t 100 per cent smooth, either.
The Sky Sports pundit said: “I think England are shaping up okay. The thing I’d say is we’ve heard it all before from Australia… it’s like a long record, ‘you’re the worst team that’s ever come’ blah, blah, blah.
“Look in the mirror! Get your own house in order. It will be a fabulous series as it always is.”