As the Ashes 2017-18 campaign is just 22 days away — Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has sent out a warning to the senior England players including the newly-appointed skipper Joe Root to take care of their debutants by shouldering the responsibility for Three Lions in the upcoming series.
The promising prospect, Hazlewood remarked the pressure would take a toll on the inexperienced players if the hosts’ bowlers would be able to get rid of the top-notch players early on.
“If you get him [Root], Cook and Jonny Bairstow, who have been scoring runs the last few years, it places extra pressure on the inexperienced guys even more so,” Hazlewood was quoted as saying by Fairfax Media.
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As the 16-member squad of England touched down in Perth on October 29 (Sunday), the visiting side includes as many as three debutants, who are raring to go.
According to the pace portent Hazlewood, the inexperienced players could face the brunt of Australian pacers on quick and bit more bouncy surfaces.
“If we get the wood on them [seniors] hopefully the rest fall in line,” hopeful Hazlewood added.
The 26-year-old Hazlewood has further made it clear by saying if the senior players might fail to score runs, the visitors could get exposed which would eventually put a lot of pressure on England itself.
It’s pertinent to mention England boarded the flight without under investigation Ben Stokes after Bristol street-brawl where he thrashed two men, as the CCTV footage got released by the British tabloid The Sun.
While turning up the against the senior campaigners for England, Hazlewood is capable of leaving a significant impact at home, as he has had also spearhead fast bowling when speedster Mitchell Starc was nursing the foot injury.
Interestingly, Hazlewood, who nursed side-strain during the Dhaka Test against Bangladesh, is hopeful to give his best in the impending traditional series after representing Australia in consecutive 22 Tests.
“I’ve got the backing of the last few seasons. Hopefully, this side strain is a one-off. You never know with fast bowling, you never want to look too far ahead,” Hazlewood maintained.
On the other side, England would be aiming to retain the coveted title on Australian soil after former Three Lions skipper Andrew Strauss, who is now England Cricket Board’s (ECB) Director of Cricket won the urn little over three decades in Australia.
With a lot at stake, England would be eyeing to give their best after the side was whitewashed 5-0 in the 2013-14 season on Australian soil.
Hazlewood has lived up to the expectations and has set a horizon to win games for the national side in the bitterest rivalry which is marked by the Ashes season itself.
“I’ve played six Tests each of the last two summers and felt pretty good. Hopefully, I’ve got a golden period now body-wise,” Hazlewood further added.
With batting-order a huge concern for England, another highlight would be how Root will use his bowlers and absorb the pressure accordingly.
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Hazlewood, who is scheduled to represent New South Wales Blues in the next two rounds of the JLT Sheffield Shield competition so far, played 31 Tests for Australia in which he has taken 118 wickets at an average of 25.67. Also, he had bagged five five-wicket hauls and four four-wicket hauls so far.
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