Ashes 2023: Hopefully after that little break, I’ll come out firing again – Josh Hazlewood

Australia’s experienced fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is hopeful of making a strong comeback to the team’s playing XI in the fourth Ashes Test match against England. Hazlewood could not take part in the Border-Gavaskar series against India due to injury and he was also not fit for the WTC final.

The right-arm pacer picked three wickets in the opening Ashes Test at Edgbaston whereas he scalped a total of five wickets in the second Test match at Lord’s.

But he didn’t play in the third Test match at Leeds, Headingley as Australia backed the trio of skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Scott Boland. As Boland hasn’t had a great run in the ongoing series so far, Hazlewood is expected to replace him in the final XI.

Josh Hazlewood said in the press conference, “I have felt pretty good. I was probably a little bit underdone for that World Test Championship and then got ready for the first game. I didn’t seem too rusty when I was out there in the middle. Once you get that big day of workload underneath you, you feel a lot better for the run.”

He continued: “I felt better and better as I was going along. Hopefully, after that little break, I’ll come out firing again.”

The 32-year-old revealed the reason to miss the Headingley Test was to set him up for the last two Ashes Test matches.

“Missing Headingley, the reason was probably to set me up for the last two games. I know they’re back-to-back but we haven’t bowled a lot of overs. Hopefully with that work behind me now, I’m in a better position than I was a month ago.”

“That sort of puts me in a good place to hopefully get through those last two games and play my role and do what I usually do.”

Hazlewood has scalped 230 wickets in 61 Test matches at an impressive average of 26.07 and he will look to deliver for the visitors. The fourth Ashes Test will be played at Old Trafford from 19th July onwards.