Ashes 2021-22: Justin Langer Confirms Josh Hazlewood Will Miss Fifth Ashes Test In Hobart
Published - 08 Jan 2022, 11:21 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:03 AM
Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood will miss the final Ashes Test in Hobart as the player is yet to recover from his injury.
Hazlewood was ruled out of the Ashes 2021-22 after he sustained a lingering side strain after the Ashes opener in Brisbane.
Hazlewood picked a total of three wickets in the first Test as Australia won by nine wickets to take a resounding 1-0 lead.
We’ve missed big Josh Hazlewood: Justin Langer
Australia head coach Justin Langer confirmed that the New South Wales bowler won’t be available for the fifth and final Ashes game and compared his absence to the similar rank of England’s Jofra Archer, who is ruled out of the entire season owing to his recurring stress fracture.
“Unfortunately Josh hasn’t come up, hopefully, he’ll be right for the white-ball games. It’s been really tough on him, he has been really hanging out to play in this Ashes series like everyone,” Langer said in a press conference on Friday.
“He has missed three games, so to have one of our premier fast bowlers out of the series, I guess it is a bit like England missing one of their premier fast bowlers (in Jofra Archer) – we’ve missed big Josh,” he added.
Australia retained the Ashes
Hazlewood’s absence has permitted young Australian pacers like Jhye Richardson and Scott Boland to get opportunities in this top-class series, which Australia have already won with a 3-0 unassailable lead.
Richardson claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in the Adelaide Test as his 5/42 helped Australia to bowl out England for 192 despite dogged resistance from their batter Jos Buttler on the last day.
Boland became the second Aboriginal player after former pace bowler Jason Gillespie to represent Australia on the international stage.
Boland’s incredulous spell of 6/7 in the second innings of the MCG Test dismantled England’s batting unit as they were skittled out for a paltry score of 68. Australia won that match by an innings and 14 runs to clinch the series 3-0 in order to retain the historic urn.
