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MCG pitch made for boring cricket: Hazlewood

Josh Hazlewood was superb all series. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
2nd January, 2018
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Josh Hazlewood was disappointed with the poor pitch produced for the fourth Ashes Test but delighted to only bowl 30 overs on it.

Australia and England battled to a dull draw on a MCG surface that failed to break up over the course of five days.

Match referee Ranjan Madugalle described the docile drop-in deck as “poor” in his post-match report. It is the first time an Australian Test pitch has received such a low rating.

“It is disappointing to be playing on those sort of wickets,” Hazlewood said.

“It promoted pretty boring cricket I guess you could say. Not many runs scored at a quick rate and it was hard to get the batsmen out.

“Not a great cricket wicket.”

The only upside for Hazlewood is that Australia bowled 144.1 overs during the fourth Test, while England sent down a total of 243.2 overs.

Australia’s second innings spanned the entire fourth and fifth days in Melbourne.

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“We got away with only one innings on it. Obviously the Poms would be hurting after that, they spent (the final) two days in the field,” Hazlewood told radio station SEN.

“So we’ll see how they pull up this week.”

Jimmy Anderson delivered 59 overs at the MCG, while Stuart Broad sent down 52 overs.

Anderson has only bowled more overs twice during his 133-Test career but suggested after the match he had little interest in resting from the series finale that starts at the SCG on Thursday.

“I should sleep well for the next few days,” England’s all-time leading wicket-taker said.

“Hopefully I should pull up OK. The Tests are not completely back to back.

“It’s the same for all of us. It takes so much out of you. The pitches over here are absolutely rock hard, the foot holes get so uneven, (it) takes it out of your ankles and knees.”

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Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are also keen to play all five Tests in the series.

“We didn’t bowl on day five so we freshened up a bit after that Test and we’re all ready to go for Sydney,” Hazlewood said.

Cummins noted it “wouldn’t be my decision if I was told to rest but we’ll wait and see”.

“I’m certainly itching to play and the body’s 100 per cent, so hopefully I’ll get a game,” he added.

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