A fast track to pain
INJURY to Test cricket’s most durable fast bowler, Josh Hazlewood, has sent shockwaves through an already under-pressure Australian camp in Dhaka.
Nathan Lyon (6-82) produced an inspired performance with the ball to give Australia hope, but after a first-innings failure it will be up to the batsmen to turn it all around on a spinning deck if they are to stop Bangladesh from clinching a historic win.
Last night, Australia was in pursuit of 265 in the fourth innings after bundlung the hosts out for 221 in their second innings.
Lyon and fellow spinner Ashton Agar (2-55) were the leads for the tourists, who were bundled out for just 217 in the first dig to illustrate their struggling on turning decks.
However, it was a gutsy slog from Australia’s bowlers, particularly after Hazlewood was forced off clutching a sore side midway through the first session of play.
In oppressive heat and humidity, the Australian’s body language never dropped despite the enormous pressure they found themselves under from the ninth-ranked team in world cricket and Lyon led a late rally with his bag and a freakish run-out to go with his four scalps from the first innings.
However, after some disastrous top order batting in the first innings, it was still Australia with it all to do.
It last night appeared highly unlikely Hazlewood would take any further part in this series after breaking down midway through his fifth over.
It’s a potentially major blow to Australia’s Ashes preparations, although confirmation it was his side and not back that was a sore bodes well for him taking the field for the first Test of the Ashes in late November.
If Hazlewood’s injury is deemed in any way serious, he would likely be flown immediately home with Jackson Bird likely to take his place in the second Test and a cover bowler like Jason Behrendorff, Chris Tremain, Nathan Coulter-Nile or Chadd Sayers likely to come into the squad in Chittagong.
Hazlewood left the field after suffering the discomfort, looking despondent and stiff as a board, as Australia were left to soldier on without him.
Australia’s Ashes plan centres around being able to unleash their pace arsenal on England in the summer.