"We're going to take this week as it comes" - Josh Hazlewood provides injury update
Australia quick Josh Hazlewood remains unclear of the timeline for his return to international cricket after suffering a side strain. Hazlewood revealed he should bowl this week to see where he stands in terms of his fitness.
Hazlewood came under the injury radar in the second innings of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane and missed the second Test in Adelaide. Jhye Richardson took his spot in Adelaide while Scott Boland made his Test debut in the ongoing third Test in Melbourne.
Baggy Green No.463.
Congratulations Scott Boland!
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Hazlewood, who presented Boland with his Baggy Green at the MCG, told SEN:
"I'm still a little bit away, (this Test) is probably a week early. We're still not sure, we're going to take this week as it comes and likely have a bowl on day three or day five, see how that goes and then build up from there. The workloads are still there from the first Test, but obviously I haven't had a bowl in 10-12 days and we'll see how it goes on day three."
The 30-year-old took three wickets in the first Test as Australia won by nine wickets. The hosts won the second Test by 275 runs to go 2-0 up in the series.
"You see the ground and the crowd starting to roll in, it's pretty disappointing" - Josh Hazlewood
Speaking about his injury, Hazlewood said:
"It's probably more on feel this one, it's a bit of an interesting one, it's the intercostal, so it's in between the ribs, there's a slight tear. I've never had it before, I've had the normal oblique side strain... but we're taking each day as it comes and we'll make the decisions on basically how I feel. I guess once you're down here, you see the ground and the crowd starting to roll in, it's pretty disappointing."
Australia bowled out England for 185 in the first innings of the third Test and closed the opening day at 61/1 in reply.