It took just five balls each for Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood to remind the national selectors what they’re capable of on day one of Australia’s three-day tour game in Worcester.
Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc
London:
Given about 45 minutes to bowl late on Wednesday after captain Tim Paine declared on 5-266, Starc trapped Worcestershire opener Tom Fell with a searing inswinger to send the batsman on his way for a duck.
He followed up the wicket with a bouncer to former Test teammate Callum Ferguson, with the pair exchanging a smile once the ball safely soared over the ducking batsman’s head.
Like Starc, it took Hazlewood just five deliveries to strike. The towering quick nipped a ball back into right-hander Josh Dell to castle the opener without scoring.
Hazlewood’s wicket tally should have doubled the next ball when 18-year-old debutant Jack Haynes edged the Australian to third slip, but Cameron Bancroft dropped a regulation catch.
Haynes rode his luck as he was given another life when wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, who took the gloves over Paine, put down a difficult chance down the leg-side off Starc.
Haynes, an England Under-19s representative, struck four boundaries against Australia’s long-time new-ball partnership, but was eventually out for a run-a-ball 24 when Hazlewood proved too sharp and dismissed him plumb lbw.
Both Starc and Hazlewood were overlooked for the first Ashes Test in Birmingham, the first time the duo has been fit to play but not been selected since the Adelaide Test of 2014 against India, the match before Hazlewood’s debut.
With Australia’s selectors adamant on picking the Test attack to suit conditions, Starc and Hazlewood missed out at Edgbaston.
Armed with a new red Dukes ball, the New South Wales duo reduced Worcestershire to 2-0 before Hazlewood picked up his second to have the host 3-31 at stumps, trailing by 235 runs.
Given about 45 minutes to bowl late on Wednesday after captain Tim Paine declared on 5-266, Starc trapped Worcestershire opener Tom Fell with a searing inswinger to send the batsman on his way for a duck.
He followed up the wicket with a bouncer to former Test teammate Callum Ferguson, with the pair exchanging a smile once the ball safely soared over the ducking batsman’s head.
Like Starc, it took Hazlewood just five deliveries to strike. The towering quick nipped a ball back into right-hander Josh Dell to castle the opener without scoring.
Hazlewood’s wicket tally should have doubled the next ball when 18-year-old debutant Jack Haynes edged the Australian to third slip, but Cameron Bancroft dropped a regulation catch.
Haynes rode his luck as he was given another life when wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, who took the gloves over Paine, put down a difficult chance down the leg-side off Starc.
Haynes, an England Under-19s representative, struck four boundaries against Australia’s long-time new-ball partnership, but was eventually out for a run-a-ball 24 when Hazlewood proved too sharp and dismissed him plumb lbw.
Both Starc and Hazlewood were overlooked for the first Ashes Test in Birmingham, the first time the duo has been fit to play but not been selected since the Adelaide Test of 2014 against India, the match before Hazlewood’s debut.
With Australia’s selectors adamant on picking the Test attack to suit conditions, Starc and Hazlewood missed out at Edgbaston.