Josh Hazlewood has reached a significant milestone in his cricket career, becoming the ninth Australian bowler to achieve 300 Test wickets. This accomplishment took place during the first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin, where he also secured his 14th five-wicket haul. Hazlewood reached the 300-wicket mark in his 26th over, dismissing Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who edged a delivery while attempting a drive. The 35-year-old later completed his fourth six-wicket haul in Tests, his first in nine years, when he had Ebadot Hossain caught behind, concluding Bangladesh’s innings.
Hazlewood’s achievement places him among an elite group of bowlers, including three current teammates. His consistency and skill have been vital for the Australian team, and this milestone further solidifies his reputation in international cricket.
Talking about this achievement, Hazlewood admitted that he doesn’t focus on milestones during his playing. “I guess it’s probably something you look back on at the end. “But I guess just to see the other names there, and I’m playing with three of them, so yeah, it’s pretty cool. There was also some debate over his choice for the opening Test, with Scott Boland vying for a spot in the attack. Yet Hazlewood gave a powerful performance, delivering a spell that altered the course of the match while Australia’s other bowlers had difficulty getting any breakthrough on the good batting wicket. Hazlewood finally ended the key partnership between Tanzid and Mominul Haque on the second morning by catching Mominul behind when he was trying to hit the ball on the up. Taijul Islam was dismissed for extra bounce, the ball edging to Cameron Green at gully. Hazlewood came on after lunch to take his 300th Test wicket when Mehidy edged the ball to behind. Hazlewood then asked for Ebadot to complete his six-wicket innings and to conclude Bangladesh’s attack. The experienced player attributed Australia’s perseverance to the fact that Bangladesh’s batters had made the bowling attack work hard during the innings. “Yeah, it’s pretty hard work out there on that track. We probably stuck it out, we didn’t let the runs flow too quickly there at the end.
Hazlewood has now joined Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc in the group of players who have each taken 300 Test wickets; they are the first Test bowlers in history to have four bowlers who have all played together and each taken at least 300 wickets. Of Australia’s nine bowlers who have reached that figure, only Glenn McGrath (21.64), Cummins (22.21) and Dennis Lillee (23.92) have bowling averages lower than Hazlewood’s 24.02. Hazlewood was five wickets away from 300, having been out of action for the previous 12 months and having taken part in only six of Australia’s last 14 Tests during the period disrupted by injury. He was unlucky at the start of the innings when Nathan Lyon dropped a catch off Tanzid Hasan during Hazlewood’s first over, and Tanzid then scored 101 after being given a chance at 0. With the second new ball, he struck once more and got rid of Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto for 84 with a great delivery from around the wicket.
“You don’t really think about those sort of milestones when you’re playing,” Hazlewood told Kayo Sports after taking his 300th wicket. “They hung in there tough,” Hazlewood said. “It was just that Bangladesh hung in there nice and tough, and it was tough to get wickets out there, so it was a good effort.” (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
On the third day while Australia were struggling under the heat, Hazlewood kept on providing the breakthroughs by getting rid of Hasan Mahmud’s stubborn resistance through a lbw catch; he had previously seen the lbw call against Mehidy cancelled on review.
