"Can't see Hazlewood jumping him at this stage" - Ryan Harris wants Scott Boland to play in first Ashes Test
Former Australian seamer Ryan Harris has called for Josh Hazlewood to be excluded for the first Ashes Test and urged the Aussies to stick with Scott Boland.
Harris, who took 113 scalps in 27 Tests, recalled his own fate during the first Test of the 2013 Ashes and expressed his disappointment at his omission. Despite making a strong comeback from injury, the right-arm pacer couldn't make it into Australia's XI due to their other fast bowlers performing well.
Boland has made a nearly irrefutable case to play at Edgbaston with his performance in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against India this month. He took five wickets in the game, including dismissing Shubman Gill twice and picking up Virat Kohli's wicket in the fourth innings, to set up a 209-run win.
Ryan Harris admitted that Josh Hazlewood's current situation is similar to what he faced during the 2013 Ashes series. However, he believes Australia must stick to the combination of Scott Boland, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins for the Edgbaston Test, starting on June 16. He said (as quoted by The Age):
"I can’t see him [Hazlewood] playing, I think the way Boland’s bowled has been exceptional, so I can’t see Hazlewood jumping him at this stage, and I think they’ll be happy with and stick with Starc as well.
"I remember it [not playing in the 2013 Ashes] clearly. I wasn’t happy about it, but I think everyone was bowling particularly well at the time. So, disappointing as it was, on those tours you’ve got to accept what the team want at the time and I think coming into this Test it is a little bit similar."
Hazlewood was in line to play in the WTC final against India at the Kennington Oval. However, a last-minute injury sparked Michael Neser's return to the squad at his expense. Boland eventually pipped Neser for a place in Australia's playing XI for the final.
"He hasn’t played a red-ball game since the SCG Test" - Ryan Harris on Josh Hazlewood
While Ryan Harris understands that Josh Hazlewood is keen to play, he feels Scott Boland's presence doesn't give Australia too much room for thinking. He added:
"He’s clearly dying to play and he does know his body very well, it’s just that uncertainty about whether he’s fully ready or does he need another week.
"He hasn’t played a red-ball game since the SCG Test (vs. South Africa in January this year), so that’s got to be a factor as well, and when you’ve got a guy like Scotty Boland bowling the way he is, it’s a pretty easy decision in my mind."
A fit again Josh Hazlewood admits he’d be disappointed not to make Australia's XI at Edgbaston, but not as miffed as when overlooked four years ago
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Australia last won the Ashes in England in 2001 under Steve Waugh. However, they will be confident heading into this series, having drawn the 2019 series and with the Test mace under their belt.