Hazlewood Leads The Way
As Josh Hazlewood prepares for another Ashes series it’s appropriate to highlight the amazing record he has built since joining St George for the 2009/10 season. The strongly built, athletic fast bowler has established himself as one of the world’s leading exponents of his craft.
Now having played 76 Tests, capturing 295 wickets, as well as over 150 one day and T20 internationals, Hazlewood easily holds the record as St George’s most capped, Australian representative. This from a Club that produced one third of Australia’s ‘Team of the 20th Century’, Bradman, Lindwall, Morris and O’Reilly as well as a swathe of Test players, including Hazlewood contemporaries, Copeland, Henriques and Patterson.
Hailing from Bendemeer, just outside of Tamworth, Hazlewood came to St George as an eighteen year old, looking to develop his skills in a stable Club and community environment. A first grade premiership in 2009/10, a season that included his international one day debut, was followed by a season lost to a serious back stress fracture.
Dedication to rehabilitation, consistent hard work on bowling technique and a strong desire to succeed saw Hazlewood rewarded with Test selection in 2014. The following eleven years have produced a remarkable international career. As well as multiple Test series wins, there’s been two 50 over World Cups (2015 and 2023) and the T20 World Cup in 2021. Hazlewood has played a major role in each of these successes.
Because of the crowded international calendar, in recent years Hazlewood has rarely had the chance to pull on his St George or indeed his NSW cap but he is still proud to register each season for his beloved local Club. When asked about the Club, Hazlewood commented, ‘St George means a lot to me and I’m honoured to hold the record as the Club’s most capped Test player. It’s an amazing Club, with an unmatched history and a very successful present’.
With the Ashes series about to start, Hazlewood will lead the highly regarded bowling attack, with captain and fellow quick, Pat Cummins, sidelined for at least the first Test. There’s no doubt it’ll be a tough, competitive series with many days already sold out, amid expectation that England will be looking to match Australia’s attack with their own pace barrage.
That pace attack, led by Mark Wood and Joffra Archer, although inexperienced in Australian conditions, has following the retirements of Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, been developing over the last eighteen months. The batting, although on their recent New Zealand tour, looking a little fragile, still has the class of Joe Root and the quickly emerging talent of Harry Brook. Of course captain Ben Stokes has regularly caused grief for Australia, with his swashbuckling stroke play and aggressive bowling.
This Ashes series will be another close and competitive contest between bat and ball. As they haven’t won a series in Australia since 1987 England will be determined to show the travelling ‘Balmy Army’ and Australian crowds they meat.
When asked about the Ashes series Hazlewood chose his words carefully, ‘England will be tough, all Ashes contests are but we’ve worked hard to hold that famous Urn and we want to keep it in Australian hands. Representing my country means a lot and I’ll be giving all I can, as will all the team, to make that happen’.
As Hazlewood looks to extend his Test record, edging closer to the 300 wicket mark and further up the top ten wicket taker list, his commitment to excellence hasn’t waned, nor his love for the game and representing his country. The St George district, not just its cricket club, can be proud of its Test record holder.
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