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Key Points

Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is feeling confident about his prospects in the upcoming World Test Championship final at Lord's. With an impressive record of 52 wickets in 12 Tests in England, Hazlewood has never lost at the iconic venue in red-ball cricket. He arrives in London after participating in the IPL, having maintained his bowling rhythm during the tournament. Hazlewood is hopeful of securing the third seamer position in the Australian lineup for the crucial match against South Africa.

Key Points: Josh Hazlewood Targets Lord's Success in WTC Final

  • Hazlewood has 52 wickets in 12 Tests in England
  • Undefeated at Lord's in red-ball cricket
  • Returning from IPL with recent bowling practice
  • Competing with Scott Boland for third seamer spot
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Any time I bowl in England I'm reasonably confident, says Hazlewood ahead of WTC Final

Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood confident ahead of World Test Championship final, boasting impressive record in England

Any time I bowl in England I'm reasonably confident, says Hazlewood ahead of WTC Final
"Any time I bowl in England, I'm reasonably confident - Josh Hazlewood"

New Delhi, June 7

Ahead of Australia facing South Africa in the World Test Championship final, fast-bowler Josh Hazlewood said he always feels reasonably confident while bowling in Tests in England and added that he will increase his pace in the run-up to the one-off clash starting at the Lord's on June 11.

In 12 Tests in England, Hazlewood has picked 52 wickets at an average of 26.07. The fast bowler took five wickets in his most recent match at the Lord's, which happened during the 2023 Ashes series against England.

"Any time I bowl in England, I'm reasonably confident. I've had some good tours here over the last 10 years, and Lord's in particular. I haven't lost before at Lord's yet as a player, certainly in red-ball cricket for sure, and we have had a couple of good wins there over the years."

"Today is sort of post-flight and just to get moving. I will probably nail down a few more overs tomorrow and then over the next few days, tick a lot of boxes," Hazlewood told ICC on Saturday.

Hazlewood hasn't played a red-ball game since he featured in the third Test against India at The Gabba in December 2024 due to a calf strain. Then seamer Scott Boland took over and went on to pick a 10-wicket haul against India at Sydney. This means that there's a toss-up between Hazlewood and Boland for the third seamer's slot at Lord's.

What does help Hazlewood's case is Hazlewood that he arrives in London on the back of some overs under his belt while winning IPL 2025 for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, including overcoming a minor shoulder niggle.

"I ticked over some good overs just before the (IPL) Final in Ahmedabad in different weather than this, and it was quite a tough session. And then obviously, every time you play a game in the IPL, you're probably going to get almost seven or eight overs in, if you really want to."

"So in and around with warm-ups, and obviously the four overs in the game. And we bowled second a lot of the time in IPL, so that was sort of two warm-ups, so you can squeeze in overs here and there, and things are going pretty well."

"Everyone looks in good shape. We've all been in different parts of the world playing or training over the last couple of months, so it's good to get everyone together and catch up with everyone yesterday and the day before and get all on the same page moving forward," he concluded.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Hazlewood's confidence at Lord's is well-earned! His stats speak for themselves. But as an Indian fan, I still remember how our batsmen handled him in the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Hope he doesn't bring that same energy if we meet in future matches! 😅
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Priya M.
Interesting how IPL preparation is now considered for Test selection! The game is truly evolving. Though I wonder if T20 overs can really prepare someone for the rigors of Test cricket, especially in English conditions.
A
Arjun S.
That Gabba Test reference hurts! But credit where it's due - Hazlewood is a world-class bowler. His ability to maintain line and length in English conditions is what makes him dangerous. Hope our bowlers are taking notes!
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Sneha R.
While Hazlewood is confident, I think Australia might be better off playing Scott Boland. His performance against India was phenomenal! Sometimes fresh legs are better than reputation. What do others think?
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Vikram J.
The real test will be when he faces subcontinental batsmen in England. Our players have shown they can handle pace and swing better in recent years. Still, respect to Hazlewood - he's been a consistent performer for Australia.
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Neha P.
Interesting to see how IPL performances are now influencing Test selections. The lines between formats are blurring! Though I worry if this might lead to specialists disappearing from the game. #TestCricketForever

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