It took Josh Hazlewood just two deliveries. After Jason Roy flirted with a wide loosener first up, Hazlewood’s next ball on his return to Test cricket was a ripper that landed on a length, seamed away and opened up Roy like a clam.
Just like that, the tall right-armer had settled back into his happy place. Very few quicks in world cricket land the ball where they want with the consistency of Hazlewood.
When he first arrived in the UK, for the 2015 Ashes, he did so with a swollen reputation as an incarnation of Glenn McGrath. While his talent was obvious, Hazlewood was just 24 with a mere five Tests to his name.
Expectations he would land in England and dominate were fanciful, considering he had never played a first-class match in the UK prior to that tour.
Perhaps seduced by the sharper swing offered by the Dukes ball, Hazlewood bowled fuller in that Ashes than he has in any other series in his Test career. Too often he over-pitched, floating up deliveries that swung too early or offered prime opportunities for drives.
Rarely did he find that in-between length that is his calling card, and upon which McGrath built his career. Good cricketers learn from their mistakes and Hazlewood deserves that description.
In his first spell last night, he immediately located that not-quite-full, not-quite-short length that traps batsmen on the crease. Allied with the disconcerting lift he earns from his tall action and 197 centimetres of height, this makes Hazlewood a terror.
(Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Batsmen who come forward risk the ball leaping up at the shoulder of their bat. Those who go back make themselves an LBW candidate for Hazlewood’s off cutter.
When Hazlewood finds this length he takes control of proceedings, drying up all scoring opportunities and placing the batsmen in a fight for survival.
Six overs, three maidens, two wickets for five runs. Those were his figures with the new ball last night as he made a resounding comeback to the top level at Lord’s, having been overlooked for the first Ashes Test in favour of Peter Siddle and James Pattinson.
That pair of quicks were solid at Edgbaston as Australia took a 1-0 lead. At no point, though, did either of them operate at the rare level of excellence that Hazlewood reached from the get go last night.
I still think Australia made the right choice with their first Test line-up. Siddle and Pattinson were match fit with the Dukes ball having played in the UK for the past few months.
Hazlewood, after a five-month injury layoff, seemed not quite ready. Give him another two weeks to train – plus the three-day match in between the first and second Tests – and he should be primed for Lord’s. That was my thinking, at least.
Who knows? Maybe he would have run amok at Edgbaston. Regardless, Australia now have the luxury of being 1-0 up with a fit-and-firing Hazlewood fresh back into the team.
Also, for the first time in a long time, he has a point to prove. For several years now, Hazlewood has been an automatic pick in the Test line-up when fit. Perhaps missing out on the Ashes opener may have provided the kind of stimulus that has previously awoken many a dozing giant.
On a Lord’s pitch that offered limited assistance to the bowlers, Hazlewood’s 3-58 from 22 overs was an excellent return, particularly given all of his wickets were top order batsmen.
He set up the innings for colleagues Pat Cummins (3-61) and Nathan Lyon (3-68) to restrict England to a below-par total of 258.
Whether Australia’s batsmen can exploit the good work of the Aussie attack remains to be seen. But Hazlewood’s immediate impact last night bodes mightily well for the tourists.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Enough of this boring talk of tosses and conditions! Let's talk about Lords, the best cricket ground in the world. Ok, so the ground, like a lot of the members, is literally not on the level, and class warriors may put their blood pressure into the 200s at the concentrated display of City wealth and chinless privilege, but name me another ground where you can cart in hampers of food and bottles of wine *and* where there's no chance of the incessant, masturbatory droning from the Barmy Forking Army?
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Got to pick for english conditions for me. I will give him the second innings where he is traditionally stronger but its time for him to perform especially on a pitch that is not green . the opening pair are really struggling. Khawaja seems more suited at the top as it stands at least he can make 30 to 40 runs and got a decent delivery to get him out. Warner is a flat track bully and is a massive success outside of england but his performances are getting australia in to trouble in England
Pierro
Roar Rookie
For english conditions pretty optimal for Warner, certainly not a green deck and the ball went through straight through his gate . Unacceptable for an opener he is standing too far out of the crease. He's once again got us off to a first innings mess although bancroft deserves some blame
Jeff
Roar Rookie
But your view is that the last hour yesterday was the best conditions he could have batted in?
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
It's more that if you send them in you better make damn sure you execute well. Otherwise you're just handing the advantage over to the opposition. Batting last is almost never a good idea.
Nudge
Roar Rookie
No not watching it Jeff. Makes me feel ill
Jeff
Roar Rookie
You watching this play out Nudge (currently 1st session Day 3)?
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Statistics don't take into account the overhead conditions for this match however. There is no sense in putting the opposition in under the best conditions and then batting in the more difficult conditions. Maybe Root wanted to bowl, but more fool him I guess. Lucky he lost the toss.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Doesn’t that just say if we’d taken our chances we’d be in a strong position? You can’t account for dropping sitters.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Days 3 and 4 will be second and third day pitches. Statistically, that’s the best time to bat (even if we have an ability to make it look otherwise). Root was going to bowl first for the same reason as the Aussies did.
Peter
Roar Rookie
I disagree, it would be crazy to drop him. His overall record entitles him to a lot more faith. Dougie Walters had a poor record in England. 18 Tests at 25 odd, again no tons.
redbackfan
Roar Rookie
I think Warner deserves 3 tests only because Harris in the wings deserves a crack too. 3 more failures Warner should take a break. I reckon he will come good
Nudge
Roar Rookie
That’s my thoughts Jeff
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
I think we've handed them an opening anyway. If we'd have taken our catches then sub 200 was on the cards and that would have been ideal, but we didn't so we're chasing the game a bit. Maybe I'm too conservative or something, but I can't see what's wrong with runs on the board and make them bat last. This is way too funky for my liking. It seems to be overthinking it.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
Yep, we gave up all that to gain .. what exactly did we gain.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Yes forecast has gotten even worse it seems. Looking outside in Kensington area its pretty overcast and gloomy.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Was there , were you watching because the shadows only went in one direction due to the sunlight . Lights were on due to time but not due to bad light. Perfect for warner at lords where his av is best in england. Big Fail
Peter Warrington
Guest
Paul must be Peter Warrington too
Jeff
Roar Rookie
No I'm not Sir Les. Only because just 1 hour of play is likely today! But we have certainly given ourselves the most difficult overhead conditions to bat in for our first innings, with England's pacemen getting 3 fresh cracks at us on Days 2 to 4. I like the optimism of comments that we just need to score 350-450 to set up an innings win, however our track record suggest almost anything but that occuring. We'll do well if we can match England's 1st innings score. I guess a lot of that will come down to Smith's runs and his partnerships. Without those, we may be in a spot of bother.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
A session only? Forecast says heavy rain from 12pm with no let up.