Hazlewood to be rested

Top Story

Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood will be rested from the first One-Day International (ODI) of the upcoming ODI Series against Pakistan in Brisbane on Friday 13 January, it was confirmed today.

According to head coach Darren Lehmann the decision to rest Hazlewood was based on the amount of overs he has already bowled this summer.

Lehmann said: “Josh has got through a heavy workload during the home summer so far and in the past two months he has sent down almost 300 overs across two Test series against South Africa and Pakistan, as well as three ODIs against New Zealand.

“He’s not injured but we have decided to give him a week to freshen up at home and he will link up with the ODI squad in Melbourne ahead of the second match of the series, although if one of our other fast bowlers picks up an injury in the run-up to Friday’s first game at The Gabba then he could be called up to slot in.”

Hazlewood, who celebrated his 26th birthday on Sunday, was Australia’s most successful bowler in the 3-0 Commonwealth Bank Test series whitewash against Pakistan, picking up 15 wickets at 19.60 at an economy rate of 1.99 runs per over.

That followed on from a further 17 wickets in the three-Test series against South Africa and six more wickets in three matches against New Zealand in the Chappell-Hadlee ODI series in December.

The first match of the ODI Series against Pakistan at The Gabba will be followed by subsequent matches in Melbourne (15 January), Perth (19 January), Sydney (22 January) and Adelaide (26 January).

Latest