Hazlewood passes first test as Ashes loom

Having not played a competitive match in more than six months, Josh Hazlewood surprised himself by just how well his body pulled up after Australia A's big win over Northamptonshire.

Prior to Thursday's 50-over contest, Hazlewood's most recent game was the New Year's Test against India, after which scans revealed a stress fracture in his back that forced an extended stint on the sidelines.

The injury blow and resultant lack of match practice ruled Hazlewood out of Australia's World Cup squad, much to the disappointment and frustration of the New South Wales quick.

But as Justin Langer's side were locking horns with Bangladesh an hour up the M1 in Nottingham, Hazlewood was back doing what he does best, taking 2-51 from 10 overs in Australia A's six-wicket win.

Both of his wickets were trademark dismissals, balls that zeroed in on the stumps and did enough off the pitch to either strike an exposed front pad or clip the bails.

Hazlewood said he had "no nerves at all" in his cricket comeback after what must have felt like an age sitting on the sidelines, in the gym and bowling in the nets.

"I was pretty relaxed, there was no real crowd and playing a county side probably not at full strength, you just go about your business," Hazlewood told cricket.com.au.

"I've been bowling for a long time now (in training) and off the long run for quite a while and very confident.

"My rhythm was pretty good for a majority of the 10 overs.

"I surprisingly feel very good. I don't know what that is. I've done a lot of running, a lot of longer running as well, if that makes sense. The body feels really good and the 50 overs went pretty quick.

“But I was glad it actually went 50, just to get tick that box as well and see how I pull up tomorrow."

Hazlewood is set to be rested from the A side’s next match against Derbyshire on Sunda before returning to the XI on Tuesday to face Worcestershire, a match that has been shifted to the Kidderminster Cricket Club following the flooding of the county’s main venue, New Road.

Thursday's match not only ended Hazlewood's game-time drought but also that of his fellow bowlers, who have played little cricket since the end of the domestic summer.

And the senior quick was impressed by how sharp the 'A' attack was after a long absence from playing.

"We probably expected ourselves to be a bit more rusty, to be honest," he said.

"It was just about bowling straight at the top of the stumps on this wicket (because) any width was going to the boundary. I thought we summed it up pretty well.

"You can train as much as you want, but to really improve and go to that next level you've got to get back out there as soon as you can.

"It's good we've got a couple of games coming up now and couple of four-dayers, so it's exciting next few weeks coming up."

Matthew Wade, who made a whirlwind 117 in the comprehensive win, has endured a torrid time facing Hazlewood in the nets in recent weeks and is glad the tall right-armer is finally on his side.

"He's got great rhythm,” Wade told cricket.com.au.

“I thought him and Mitch (Marsh) – I thought Mitch ran in really hard today – he got a couple of wickets today and looked really good from side on.

"I thought those two looked really, really good across the grass, and the other two guys (Sean Abbott and Michael Neser) bowled really well as well."

Australia A tour of the UK

Get live scores and all the latest news from Australia A's tour of the UK on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app

Australia A one-day squad: Travis Head (c), Matthew Wade, Will Pucovski, Peter Handscomb, Mitch Marsh (vc), D'Arcy Short, Kurtis Patterson, Ashton Agar, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood (vc), Sean Abbott, Andrew Tye

Australia A four-day squad: Tim Paine (c), Marcus Harris, Kurtis Patterson, Will Pucovski, Travis Head (vc), Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Mitch Marsh, Michael Neser, Jon Holland, James Pattinson, Jackson Bird, Josh Hazlewood (vc), Chris Tremain

One-day fixtures:

June 20: Australia A beat Northamptonshire by six wickets

June 23: Australia A v Derbyshire, County Ground, Derby

June 25: Australia A v Worcestershire, Kidderminster Cricket Club

June 30: Australia A v Gloucestershire, Bristol Country Ground, Bristol

July 2: Australia A v Gloucestershire, Bristol Country Ground, Bristol

Four-day fixtures:

July 7-10: Australia A v Sussex, Arundel Castle Cricket Ground, Arundel

July 13-16: Australia A v England Lions, The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury

July 23-26: Australia v Australia A, Ageas Bowl, Hampshire