+x+x+x+xHazlewood bowling a beautiful line today
He is a class act.
I’ve read Hazlewood has had poor figures over his last year of test cricket though.
It would be interesting for some of the forum experts to tell us why he is taking wickets today.
Always wait for the test to be over with Josh Hazlewood. This test is no different to any others he has played. He once again got the new ball on a pitch that had been covered for a day due to persistent rain. He took 2/3 in his first 5 overs in those lucky conditions. Then what happened? His next 30 overs he took 1/98. And considering he got Denly in his 8th over he really bowled 27 overs 0/93 of complete rubbish bowling where the batsmen let 50% of the deliveries go through to the keeper.
Australia then had to rely on a declaration by England, and was lucky to hold on to a draw. Once again another declaration by the opposition when Hazlewood is in the side, Coincidence??? The media jumps all over those 5 overs (just like you did referring to him as a "class act", but don't worry you're not alone in being fooled by Hazlewood, CA and selectors are as well) and you never hear about how poor the remainder of his bowling is. This was a bowling friendly wicket unlike the first test and England proved that, Archer was amazing, unfortunately Cummins was getting tired by the end to effectively return fire.
Hazlewood has proven over his last 36 innings bowling that he cannot take regular wickets with anything but a new ball, which lasts for about 12 overs. Look at when he takes his wickets and you will see that the majority are between 1-12 overs and 80-92 overs, there is not much else. He hasn't taken that many wickets to begin with in his last 19 tests, 36 innings, that is a lot of tests for little return.
Also remember that with his poor strike rate, his ineffectiveness at taking wickets means that the bowler at the other end has to bowl more in the case of Cummins that is 7-8 additional overs to take that one wicket Hazlewood couldn't take, more stress and strain on the body, time and time again. Also remember when he and Starc open the bowling Cummins, an effective opening bowler is relegated to 3rd seamer and does not get use of the new ball, lucky he can bowl and take wickets. If they bring Pattinson back for the 3rd test it will be for Siddle, but I can tell you CA pet Josh Hazlewood will still be given the new ball, and either Pattinson or Cummins will not get that opportunity to bowl with the new ball, and they are both more effective with it than Hazlewood, the difference is they can be effective with the older ball, whereas Hazlewood isn't. Apart from the first 10 overs of this test Australia effectively bowled 140 overs with only 3 bowlers, thus why selectors usually play M Marsh at the expense of a batsman when Hazlewood plays.
Do you have data to support the proposition that H only takes wickets with the the new balls, Mike?
He bowled well in the earlier overs in the first innings.
I know his figures have been poorer than the other fast bowlers over the last year or so though.
Good points made by you, Mike.
First this is the wickets taken over the last 2 1/2 years by Australia
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=1;filter=advanced;orderby=wickets;spanmax1=19+Aug+2019;spanmin1=01+feb+2017;spanval1=span;team=2;template=results;type=bowlingSo from 35 innings Hazlewood has bowled remembering that is a possible 350 potential wickets, Hazlewood has taken 58. That is poor by any standards. It's only 16%. He is only in the side as a bowler, can't bat so his selection over the likes of Pattinson or Starc reduces batting ability of the team. He opens the bowling on every occasion. These are his wickets.
before 12 overs (6 overs Hazlewood)
Jason Roy, 1.3 ov, Joe Root, 9.1 ov, KL Rahul, 1.3 ov, KL Rahul, 5.1 ov, Cheteshwar Pujara, 3.5 ov, KL Rahul, 1.6 ov, Aiden Markram, 3.5 ov, Aiden Markram, 8.6 ov, Hashim Amla, 10.5 ov, Mark Stoneman, 1.5 ov, Alastair Cook, 7.3 ov, James Vince, 10.4 ov, Alastair Cook, 3.3 ov, James Vince, 5.3 ov, Murali Vijay, 10.2 ov, Abhinav Mukund, 10.4 ov, Murali Vijay, 6.5 ov
17 wickets
Between 12-80 overs
Joe Denly, 31.6 ov, Virat Kohli, 52.5 ov, Rohit Sharma, 22.5 ov, Rishabh Pant, 37.3 ov, Ajinkya Rahane, 34.5 ov, Ajinkya Rahane, 20.2 ov, KL Rahul, 24.2 ov, Hashim Amla, 32.4 ov, Temba Bavuma, 61.1 ov, Dean Elgar, 67.6 ov, Keshav Maharaj, 50.3 ov, Theunis de Bruyn, 42.1 ov, Alastair Cook, 32.3 ov, James Vince, 24.1 ov, James Vince, 25.3 ov, Dawid Malan, 63.2 ov, Jonny Bairstow, 39.1 ov, Craig Overton, 67.5 ov, Joe Root, 64.5 ov, Chris Woakes, 62.2 ov, Joe Root, 40.6 ov, Virat Kohli, 34.2 ov, Ravindra Jadeja, 38.1 ov
23 wickets
on 18 occassions new ball taken
80-92 overs new ball
Hanuma Vihari, 85.3 ov, Mohammed Shami, 87.6 ov, AB de Villiers, 82.6 ov, Quinton de Kock, 92.4 ov, Jonny Bairstow, 81.4 ov, James Anderson, 88.1 ov, Dawid Malan, 80.2 ov, Cheteshwar Pujara, 85.2 ov, Ravichandran Ashwin, 85.5 ov, Umesh Yadav, 87.3 ov
10 wickets
after 92 overs
Ravindra Jadeja, 169.4 ov, Morne Morkel, 112.2 ov, Keshav Maharaj, 115.4 ov, Tom Curran, 119.3 ov, Chris Woakes, 110.5 ov, Craig Overton, 112.6 ov, Stuart Broad, 116.4 ov, Karun Nair, 107.4 ov
8 wickets
So 23 wickets with an older ball from 36 innings. Gets the new ball after 80 overs every time. After 92 over, the opposition is closing its innings with quick runs, notice nothing between 92-110 overs, every time he gets the new ball.
But from 36 innings he only has taken 17 wickets with the new ball, including 2 from this test. He's really not that effective as a new ball bowler either.
As a comparison look at Cummins, doesn't always get new ball. I'm not going to write all his down just accept these are right.
Pat Cummins 39 innings in total 100 wickets. He's doing his job 25% of wickets available.
Opened the bowling in 12 innings, and on 3 occasions he got the ball before 12 overs.
15 wickets (remember Hazlewood 36 innings for 17 wickets) Cummins is more superior than Hazlewood with the new ball
Between overs 12-80 or after 92 overs, Cummins has rarely if ever taken a wicket between 80-92 overs
12-80 or after 92 overs
85 wickets, Compared to Hazlewood's 31 in total. Who is doing the work?
His opening partner in Starc doesn't do much better than Hazlewood, but there is a discrepency in that Starc does take more with the older ball.
Starc 33 innings 68 wickets 21% of wickets taken (could be better but is acceptable)
With new ball 15 wickets, between 80-92 over 9 wickets
With older ball 12-80 overs 35 wickets, after 92 overs 9 wickets
Starc hasn't played as many games as Hazlewood but has been more effective with the older ball.
So over this period of time of 2 1/2 years, Considering Lyon has taken 127 wickets from 47 innings (27%), the opposition have declared their innings on 8 occasions, in 25 matches Australia have Won 11, Lost 9, Drawn 5.
Lyon 27% of wickets
Cummins 25 % of wickets
Starc 21 % of wickets
Hazlewood 16% of wickets
Who is the one letting the side down? Look at their averages and who appears to be leaking the runs? Look at their Strike Rates and who is creating extra work load for the others, leading to injuries?