Intriguing Hazlewood clue as crunch final looms

Josh Hazlewood has revealed the dynamic nature of T20 cricket was a factor in his latest injury setback, but the veteran Australian quick is showing promising signs in his bid to be fit for the World Test Championship final.

The latest hiccup in Hazlewood’s battle with side issues saw the right-arm seamer cut short his time in the Indian Premier League with Royal Challengers Bangalore, casting further doubt on his availability for Australia’s World Test Championship decider against India.

But in a pleasing training session ahead of the final at The Oval, beginning on June 7, the 32-year-old bowled at close to full pace on Tuesday.

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His hit-out at Formby Cricket Club in England’s north was the second time he’d bowled since arriving in England last week.

“My fitness is pretty good and it is just a matter of ticking off every session from here until that date (June 7) basically,” Hazlewood said.

“We will probably have anywhere from three to four more sessions — bat versus ball and then a couple of longer days in the nets, as well, or centre wicket down in London — so it is just ticking off those last few boxes and pulling up well from every session.

“It was pretty close (to full pace on Tuesday). I came down for a little bowl yesterday (on Monday) just to loosen up and to get a bit more out of today’s session, so it is feeling good.

“After a long few travel days it is always a case of the first one getting the cobwebs out and stretching out and doing some run-throughs just to get the blood flowing.

“It is always good to get the first one out of the way, and when we get to London we will steam in.”

While Hazlewood only bowled nine overs during his IPL stint, he said his use of such a wide variety of deliveries brought him undone.

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“In T20 you are bowling a lot of various different balls every over,” Hazlewood said.

“A wide yorker, to a bouncer, to a slower ball, and it probably got jammed up a little bit and a bit of scar tissue from previous injuries flared up. It calmed down pretty quickly, I had a week off, but I didn’t quite get back to going 100 per cent at IPL.

“But the last few bowls have been good and I have been building up nicely.”

Hazlewood’s side issues have limited him to only three of Australia’s last 10 Tests at home, while an Achilles injury scrubbed him from the entirety of the four-Test tour of India across February and March.

Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland are the front-line quicks in Australia’s squad for the World Test Championship final, while young all-rounder Cameron Green will also be on hand with his 140km/h seamers.

Seam-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Marsh is a member of the Australian squad for the United Kingdom Ashes, which will follow the World Test Championship final.

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