Hazlewood: Kane is the ‘rock they feed off’

Cricket365
February 22, 2016

Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood says the fact that Kane Williamson had a quiet ODI series against them is no reason to relax, and fears the New Zealand batsman is their biggest threat.

Williamson averages over 85 at the Basin Reserve, the venue for the first Test starting on Friday, and the last time he played there he scored a double ton. Hazlewood hopes they can continue to keep him quiet.

Hazlewood said: "I still think he's a better Test player than a one-day player. He's great at both but we have to get him out in Test cricket and I think the way we bowled to him in these last three games has been pretty much spot on.

"We've tried to tie him down and get him driving so that's going to be the key in these Test matches.

"He showed in Australia how good a player he is and I think he's got runs against every country in the world. So he knows these conditions well so we've got get on top of him and try and get him early.

"I think he's that rock in their order that they feed off."

The Aussies have not played a red ball warm up ahead of the Test series, but Hazlewood feels the ODI series was enough preparation, given the conditions, and feels his personal success relies on not trying too hard.

He continued: "The fact we've been playing in these conditions against their batting order, it's pretty similar in Test cricket and one-dayers.

"And a few of the guys obviously played in that Shield game [near] Christchurch. I think the build-up has been really good and we'll be ready to go.

"The wickets will do a fair bit in New Zealand, so it's a matter of putting the ball in the right area and not trying too hard.

"I was a victim of that in England (during the Ashes), of trying to do too much, whereas you've still got to hit that line and length and let the ball do its work."