'Bizarre': Josh Hazlewood mystery continues to baffle cricket world
Australian fans were left dumfounded as Josh Hazlewood was unused in the final session of the Ashes opener in Brisbane on Friday, as England captain Joe Root led a fightback by the tourists.
Root combined with Dawid Malan in an unbroken 159-run third-wicket partnership as the tourists reached 2-220 at stumps, a 278-run first innings deficit now just 58 heading into day four at the Gabba.
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The England captain was not out on 86 at the end of play and approaching his first Test century in Australia.
He also took his tally for 2021 to 1541 Test runs, the most by an Englishman in a calendar year and eighth highest of all-time.
However, fans around the country were left scratching their heads as Hazlewood was passed over with the Kookaburra as England piled on the runs.
Hazlewood was unused from the 29th over onwards and ended the day having bowled just eight overs.
Fans were left questioning why Hazlewood didn't bowl to Root, the quick has dismissed the England captain more than anyone in Test cricket - and remained fielding for the day.
Josh Hazlewood was warming up to finally come back into the attack a few overs ago. Has stopped doing it now and is back at fine leg. Just one spell to Root when he’d just walked out to bat so far #Ashes
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) December 10, 2021
Marnus Labuschagne says teammate Josh Hazlewood is "fine" despite injury concerns.
Hazlewood did not bowl in the final 41 overs of the day.#Ashes— Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) December 10, 2021
Josh Hazlewood didn’t bowl a single over in the last session. Bowled only 3 of the 46 overs in the Root-Malan partnership.
Curious. Fielded the whole session. #Ashes— Justin Edwards (@JEdwardsFOX) December 10, 2021
Josh Hazlewood to Pat Cummins.#Ashes #Ashes2021 #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/muKBOtdfaA
— CricBlog ✍ (@cric_blog) December 10, 2021
In his absence Australia captain Pat Cummins bowled himself as well as Mitchell Starc, Cameron Green, Nathan Lyon and even Marnus Labuschagne without success.
Josh Hazlewood rotated in bowling line-up
The decision not to bowl the New South Welshman looks even more curious when you realise no-one has dismissed Root more in Test cricket than Hazlewood.
The big quick's dismissal of the England skipper in the first innings for a duck was the eighth time he's got Root out in Tests.
Labuschagne couldn't explain why Hazlewood didn't bowl but was adamant it wasn't related to an injury concern.
"Hoff's fine. We're just making sure we're prepared really well," Labuschagne said.
"We know that there's some times at the Gabba where there's not as many wickets that fall and we've just got to hold in that period and make sure we rotate our bowlers well so we've got someone fresh."
Fox Sports cricket reporter Kath Loughnan confirmed Hazlewood wasn't injured, which she agreed made the decision not to use him more bizarre.
“They insist that he’s not injured and they’ve been saying so ever since the end of play last night when they’ve been constantly asked,” she said.
“CA says all is okay, he’s going to be bowling which is great news but just makes it all the more bizarre as to why he didn’t bowl at all in the final session.”
Australia's big lead was established by Travis Head, the left-hander taking his overnight score of 112 to 152 before he was the last man out in the hosts' first-innings 425.
England then survived a half-hour period before lunch without loss before both openers Rory Burns (13) and Haseeb Hameed (27) were dismissed.
Those blows had Australia seemingly on their way to a comfortable first Test victory but Malan and Root combined effortlessly to leave the match far more delicately poised heading into Saturday.
"We learned that in the last series, as soon as we think too far ahead, you open the door for them and they're so brilliant at sort of closing that door for us," Malan said.
"That first hour is really important for us tomorrow and then we can start thinking about how well we can play but we need one more good 100-run partnership to put a good score on the board."
England's resilience has also extended Nathan Lyon's (0-69) wait to claim his milestone 400th Test wicket.
The Australian spinner has now gone 199 deliveries since claiming his 399th scalp, India's Washington Sundar in last summer's Gabba Test.
Talismanic English allrounder Ben Stokes appeared to be showing no ill-effects from the jarred knee suffered in the field on Thursday, bowling three overs in the morning and preparing to come in next for the tourists.
Australia have an injury concern of their own, with David Warner not seen on the field due to bruised ribs, although scans are understood to have cleared the opener of any fracture.
The Test resumes on Saturday at 9.30am AEST.
with AAP
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