Extent of Hazlewood’s fresh injury, Smith’s ‘catch of summer’ reprieve, greats slam Test rain delay rules
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is likely to be ruled out of the rest of the Border-Gavaskar series.
Cricket Australia confirmed the paceman is all but certain to miss the remaining two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney after scans revealed he had strained his right calf.
Commentator Adam Gilchrist spoke on the unsettling update late on the fourth day.
“He’s likely to miss the remainder of the Test series,” Gilchrist reported on Fox Cricket.
“That’s a real blow for Hazlewood, he missed out on the Adelaide Test – it’s a right calf injury and a replacement will be made in due course.”
“Not great news for Australian and Josh Hazlewood,” Fellow commentator Brett Lee added.
“It’s a real blow to be ruled out for the remainder of this Test series. You expect Scott Boland to be the natural pick once again – it’s shocking news.”
Having missed the second Test in Adelaide due to a side strain, Hazlewood has sparked new injury concerns in worrying scenes at the start of the day in Brisbane.
Hazlewood began the day off the field, before being given his first bowl of the day just before the initial drinks break – and it instantly became clear he wasn’t right.
Beginning with a short and wide offering dispatched to the boundary by KL Rahul, Hazlewood’s first-up shocker was described as ‘very unusual’ by Fox Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle, while Michael Vaughan was adamant it was a sign not all is well with the 33-year old.
“That’s a ball that we don’t see from Hazlewood,” Vaughan said.
“He’s got a problem. He was off the field at the start of play… you go back to Adelaide, where he missed that Test match with that slight side niggle.
“That for me is a bowler that’s got some kind of issue.”
Hazlewood’s pace reached 130 kilometres per hour just twice for the over, peaking at 132.1 – well below his speeds at full fitness.
“We’ve all seen enough bowlers over the years to know that Hazlewood’s not right,” Vaughan added.
“He’s not running in right, his paces are down – he’s clearly got some kind of issue.”
Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin noticed Australia changing their field and lightening the slips cordon in response to Hazlewood’s struggles, furthering concerns.
“If he was 100 per cent fit here – they’ve just taken third slip out into a cover, deep point’s out,” he said.
“Australia have India 5/94. Just not quite sure what’s going to happen, I think here, with Josh Hazlewood with this spell.”
Speaking at the drinks break, Nathan Lyon batted back questions from Vaughan about Hazlewood’s fitness, saying he was ‘not the medical staff or anything like that’.
However, after consultation with the physio, Hazlewood would leave the field, cutting his spell short after just one over.
The injury concern drastically increases Scott Boland’s chances of returning to the team at his home ground of the MCG, with the Victorian having bowled immaculately as Hazlewood’s replacement in Adelaide.
Smith dismisses KL Rahul with a screamer after first ball drop
It could been a dream start for Australia on the first ball of the day’s play – but Steve Smith dropped an absolute sitter in the slips.
KL Rahul was only on 33 when Smudge put down a catch that went straight into his chest and then onto the ground.
The Indian opener scored another 51 runs to reach 84 when the Australian fielder had a chance at redemption.
This time he held onto a blinder diving away to his right and the ball sticking in his hand just before hitting the ground.
“I dropped the easy one early, unfortunately, it just got big on me – but nice to pull that one off,” Smith told Channel 7 after the session.
“It was a crucial partnership to break at that stage, so nice to hold onto it.”
The catch even had former Australian great Allan Border singing his praises, noting that the earlier drop was a moment not often seen in Test cricket.
“You probably see that once in a blue moon,” Border told Fox Cricket.
“The catch though, is as good as it gets; having played the game you have some knowledge of how good it is.
“The reaction time to get that, it’s extraordinary – he’s got half a second to make the decision and he was going the right way the whole time and it just stuck.
“To catch it and make sure you keep the ball off the ground, there was no contest.”
Former Australian wicket-keeper Ian Healy backed up Border’s praises, believing that it will take some beating as the catch of the series.
“He takes a ripper, and makes amends,” SEN’s Gerard Whateley described in live commentary.
“Rahul goes when he was well set on 84, Lyon with his first and Smith will feel a bit easier at lunch.”
“Rahul cannot believe it, it’s the catch of the summer,” co-host Healy added.
Umpire delays add to former greats’ frustrations
The Gabba Test has been plagued by rain delays with the groundstaff wearing a track across the outfield getting the covers on and off.
But while the commentators acknowledge that nothing can be done about the wet weather, some were scathing about the umpires’ approach when conditions were clear – particularly enforcing the normal scheduled breaks when players spent so long off the field.
Firstly, when play resumed at 3.30pm from a rain delay, it was announced that there would be 20 minute tea break an hour later which baffled the Fox Cricket commentators.
“Why do we need a tea break?” Brett Lee questioned.
“It’s strange because everyone here wants to see cricket… tennis players can play up to five hours.”
“That’s a very good question Brett, I cannot answer it,” Allan Border responded.
“Apparently it’s about not being able to play more than 2.5 hours in a session – not sure if it’s a player thing or a cricket rule.”
Around the scheduled tea break time, there was a light shower, forcing players to go off the field slighlty early.
“There’s no doubt there are some raindrops, but if Test cricket is going to keep promoting itself, be contemporary and up to speed with the modern game, we cannot be walking off for rain like this.”
Co-host Michael Vaughan noted that other formats of the game would persist in light rain, and Test cricket has different standards.
“I can guarantee that if it’s T20 cricket or 50-over cricket you are playing on,” Vaughan explained.
“Test cricket is the one format that we make every excuse to get off the pitch.”
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