Hazlewood sets eyes on elusive away series wins

Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has expressed his desire to achieve success overseas ahead of a long stretch of Test cricket for the Australian team, with his eyes set on series triumphs in South Africa, India and the Ashes in England.

Australia are scheduled to play 14 Tests over the next eight months, commencing with the two-Test series against Bangladesh in Darwin and Mackay. Tours of South Africa and India flank a four-match home series against New Zealand, while Australia will also host England in the 150th Anniversary Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground next March. Following that is the Ashes later in the winter, prior to which Australia, currently on top of the World Test Championship table, could also feature in the final.

The famed bowling quartet of Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon have enjoyed plenty of success for a good part of the last decade, underlining Australia’s home dominance and the WTC triumph in 2021-23 besides securing away Ashes draws in 2019 and 2023. With the team ramping up preparations for the Bangladesh series at Brisbane’s National Cricket Centre, Hazlewood declared the prospect of achieving success overseas as a big motivating factor.

"This group's been together for quite a long time now – the majority of it, anyway – and the big series are obviously England and India," Hazlewood said, speaking to reporters in Brisbane. "I haven't won in South Africa either, so there's three that are coming up…a few boxes to tick off there [for] not just me, [but] this whole playing group.

"That's been a driving factor during this prep, in the back of your head, and even [in] the months leading into it. [They're] some real big Test series, and they're all away, so [it's] tough competition and hopefully we get the job done."

Hazlewood could be in line for his first Test in thirteen months, having missed the Ashes last summer due to hamstring and Achilles injuries. Having never gone this long a period without playing a Test, he could potentially be in a shootout with Scott Boland for the third seamer’s spot, with chief selector George Bailey suggesting that Boland had narrowed the gap for selection.

Hazlewood himself expressed his desire to feature more alongside Boland, who has often had to sit out whenever each of Australia’s three frontline quicks have been fit and available.

“I think [Boland and I have] only played one game together – at Edgbaston [in the 2023 Ashes] – and I'd love to play more with Scotty," Hazlewood said. "We're obviously a little bit similar, but I think there's still a lot of differences in our bowling.”

Australia have also had Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser train with the main squad in Brisbane ahead of the Bangladesh series. The volume of Test cricket ahead could force the hosts to tap deep into their reserves if required.

Hazlewood acknowledged the team's preparation ahead of the Bangladesh series, which marks a rare instance of Australia hosting Tests in the month of August. An extensive prep method has seen Hazlewood and his fast-bowling colleagues put in long stints in Brisbane to warm their bodies up to meet the demands of multi-day cricket.

"This is probably the first time we've actually had a lead-in to a Test without any cricket in terms of games," Hazlewood said. "So we've been able to dice them up exactly how we want. It's been big days [on] Tuesdays and Thursdays mostly, with some other stuff filtered in around that. And then last week we had a few back-to-back days – Tuesday, Wednesday – and again next week I think [will be] back-to-back.

"Leading into other Test series and Test matches, you're playing T20, you're playing one-dayers, you're travelling, so it's tough to fit those bowling sessions in. This has been tailor-made for a Test match, which should work out well.

"I've looked at it literally [as] day-in, day-out for the last few weeks here – ticking boxes, getting workloads in. Next week's another tick, and then once you get through all that, then you look at Darwin."

The first Test against Bangladesh is scheduled to begin in Darwin on August 13. Should Hazlewood make the cut to the playing XI, he will look to become the ninth Australian bowler to the 300-wicket mark in Tests as he currently sits on 295 scalps in the format.