Australian quick Josh Hazlewood is set to miss out on the second Test of this summer’s Ashes series, beginning in Adelaide on Thursday, due to a side strain that he picked up in his country’s nine-wicket victory in Brisbane.
Questions surrounding the 30-year-old’s fitness surfaced after he did not bowl throughout the final session of the third day, at a time which England began mounting a spirited, yet ultimately unsuccessful fightback. Hazlewood took 2/42 in the first innings and 1/32 in the second as the Australians cruised to a 1-nil series lead.
Currently ranked he third highest bowler in Test cricket, replacing Hazlewood may not prove to be an easy task. Jhye Richardson, who was Australia’s 12th man in Brisbane, is the favourite to replace him, however, fellow pacemen Michael Neser made a case for himself, taking 5/29 in the first innings of Australia A’s match against the Lions.
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Richardson, 25, made his Test debut in 2019 and has just a pair of matches against Sri Lanka under his belt, in which he took six wickets at an average of 20.50. Neser, on the other hand, is yet to make his Test debut but has been knocking on the door for some time now. In six Sheffield Shield matches this season for Queensland, the 31-year-old took 18 wickets at a 24.33 average.
Australian opener David Warner also enters the match under an injury cloud, with the 35-year-old struggling with a rib issue that forced him from the field in England’s second innings. If he is deemed unfit to play, Usman Khawaja firms as the most likely replacement, however, Bryce Street, who is fresh off an unbeaten century for Australia A, is set to be called into the squad.
