He dented Hilton Cartwright’s Ashes hopes on a wet weekend in Sydney, but Josh Hazlewood reckons the all-rounder still deserves to be Australia’s first-choice Test No.6.
The solution to the most contentious position in the Australian line-up is still no closer to being revealed, with each of the major candidates yet to pass 100 in the opening two rounds of the Sheffield Shield.
Hazlewood, on return from a side strain, wreaked havoc for the selectors on Sunday when he went through Western Australia’s top two hopes in less than 10 minutes, as part of an new-ball spell of 3-3 from six overs.
After Shaun Marsh was caught behind driving for two in the penultimate round before the first Test, Cartwright went for a duck when Hazlewood trapped him lbw to a ball that jagged back in.
The 25-year-old West Australian debuted in last summer’s Sydney Test, and was was called back into the side for Australia’s last five-day outing against Bangladesh in September.
And Hazlewood believed he deserved to be the favourite to retain his position.
“His first-class numbers are pretty good. Really good actually,” Hazlewood said.
“He has obviously done the work for the last few years in Shield cricket and probably deserves his chance if he gets it.”
After he topped the averages in the 2015-16 Shield season, Cartwright again went at above 50 last year to establish himself as one of the most consistent players in Australia’s domestic system.
Usman Khawaja is expected to come back into the team, meaning there will only be room for either Cartwright, Glenn Maxwell or another replacement come November 23.
Maxwell pushed his case with a 60 against South Australia on Sunday but admitted he had “no idea” if he be selected in the first Test.
It came after Daniel Hughes, Nic Maddinson and Kurtis Patterson all failed to pass 50 for NSW on Saturday, despite making starts in front of national selector Mark Waugh.
Outsider Travis Head scored 67 at the MCG for the Redbacks on Saturday, while the only centurions from the second round have been South Australia’s Jake Lehmann and Victoria’s Marcus Harris – who are both not expected to be in Ashes contention.
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