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Hazlewood continues dominance of Amla

Proteas superstar heading towards bunny territory after again losing his wicket to New South Wales quick

Josh Hazlewood has continued his domination over South Africa star batsman Hashim Amla by taking his wicket for the fourth straight time this series on day one of the third Test in Adelaide.

Hazlewood had Amla caught at first slip by Test debutant Matt Renshaw in the opening hour of the third Commonwealth Bank Test at the Adelaide Oval to put the hosts on top early in the day-night fixture.

Debutant Renshaw safe as houses at first slip

Amla came to the crease at the fall of the first wicket – Dean Elgar caught for five from the bowling of Mitchell Starc – and Australia skipper Steve Smith immediately recalled Hazlewood into the attack.

The NSW quick answered his captain’s call with just his third delivery to Amla, a good length ball outside off-stump that held its line and found the edge of the Proteas veteran.

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Hazlewood has exclusively owned Amla’s wicket this series having dismissed the 33-year-old twice in Perth (for 0 and 1), once in Hobart (for 47) and now in Adelaide.

It’s been Groundhog Day between the pair, with the Australian finding the edge of Amla’s bat on all four occasions.


In the first Test at the WACA Ground, Hazlewood found the outside edge of Amla’s bat through to Steve Smith at second slip, while in the second innings it was the inside edge that sent the ball crashing into the stumps.

At Blundstone Arena, in South Africa’s only innings, Amla was caught behind going for a flashing cover drive that would have brought up his half-century had the ball met the middle of the bat.

On Thursday afternoon Hazlewood made it four wickets in four matches to reduce Amla’s series total to just 53 runs in four innings, currently his worst total in a three-Test series.


Australia pace ace Mitchell Johnson and England’s Stuart Broad have captured Amla’s wicket the most times in Test match cricket, with each bowler collecting the right-hander’s scalp on seven occasions.

Amla joins New Zealand opener Martin Guptill has the most frequent Test victim of Hazlewood, with both men falling four times to the paceman.

Hazlewood followed up Amla’s wicket with the dismissal of the in-form JP Duminy, who was caught behind for 5 to reduce the Proteas to 3-44 in the 15th over after they won the toss and elected to bat.

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