Hazlewood bounces back in Australia win

Scorecard: Essex v Australia

On the day that Ryan Harris limped away from cricket with a bung knee and a heavy heart, the man tipped to ultimately fill his sizeable shoes showed his resilience by bouncing back from some unexpected adversity.

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Josh Hazlewood, the angular seamer who has been likened to Glenn McGrath and who some are already predicting will eventually bag 400-plus Test wickets was instrumental in Australia in wrapping up their tour match against Essex shortly before tea on the final day.

Australia’s 169-run win leaves them with a clean sheet after two warm-up games ahead of the opening Test, but not without some issues to confront such as the identity of the first-choice allrounder and the punishment dealt spinner Nathan Lyon.

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Lyon finished the match with figures of 1-200 // Getty Images

Along with Mitchell Starc, with whom he seems likely to share the new ball in next week’s opening Ashes Test in Cardiff, Hazlewood confirmed that the future of Australia’s fast bowling rests in more than capable hands after 35-year-old Harris was forced out of the tour with a recurrence of knee troubles.

The warrior pace bowler then confirmed his retirement from the game, with another exciting prospect Pat Cummins to replace him in the touring party.

But as Harris learned so painfully during a long but eventually decorated career, bowling fast is a thankless art and Hazlewood is unlikely to experience a more pointed example than yesterday's opening over against county battlers Essex.

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Hazlewood celebrates one of his wickets on the final day // Getty Images

After the tourists’ final wickets fell in the day’s first hour, the home team was left with a daunting if not downright impossible target of 370 to win, or two and half sessions to survive in order to force a draw.

But from the moment Hazlewood opened the attack it became clear that Essex – or certainly their big-hitting New Zealand import Jesse Ryder – had no intention of pursuing the second option.

The burly left-hander whose international career is seemingly done after numerous off-field controversies, launched himself at the shell-shocked 24-year-old clubbing for 27 runs through a mixture of frightening clean hits and fortunate outside edges.

The bowler often described as a Glenn McGrath clone resisted the urge to pose in the famous double teapot as his bowling sheet after an over read 0-4-4-6-4-4(nb)-4.

But he was clearly unsure where to look, and was perhaps contemplating where he might hide as he took his hat from the umpire.

As it was, Hazlewood made the initial breakthrough when he Ryder’s opening partner Jaik Mickelburgh – rendered a silent partner at the other end – was trapped lbw and then Starc claimed the important scalp of the former Black Cap next over.

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Ryder was bowled after a flying start to his innings // Getty Images

What was impressive, in addition to his final figures of 4-42 from eight overs as Essex were eventually toppled for 200 without two of their top-order batsmen – first innings century maker Tom Westley (ribs) and Nich Browne (finger) were unable to bat – was his capacity to stick to his plans in the face of such an assault.

It was also a useful work-out for all of the Australia bowlers who battled to end another bothersome stand between ex-England allrounder Ravi Bopara (42 after his 107 in the first innings) and Dutch international Ryan ten Doeschate (61) who combined for a 97-run third wicket stand.

However, after Starc trapped Bopara in front and ten Doeschate fell soon after, the remainder of a depleted Essex line-up fell away despite some lusty late swinging.

The only possible concern to emerge from the game was the return of spinner Nathan Lyon who, having finished wicketless in the first innings, was staring at last-day figures of 0-64 until he snared the last wicket, a wild slog that looped to point.

With a spin-friendly wicket expected in Cardiff, the Australians will be hoping their spinner proves less likely fodder against England’s batsmen who have been repeatedly urged to go after him.

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