Josh Hazlewood’s love affair with the Adelaide Oval continued on day two of Australia’s opening Test match against the West Indies, with the spearhead skittling the tourists’ top order to leave them in complete disarray.
After Travis Head posted his seventh Test century to help the Aussies establish a 95-run lead, the bowling attack instantly got to work as they have all summer to grab six poles in the final session with the West Indies closing on 6-73 at stumps, trailing by 22 runs.
Josh Hazlewood produces magic spell to put Australia on the brink of victory against West Indies
In Hazlewood’s seventh appearance in Adelaide, he was simply unstoppable during his opening spell to blow the game wide open as he finished with figures of 4-18 for the day.
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The 33-year-old claimed three wickets inside his first three overs as he also went on to record four successive maidens.
Hazlewood is on FIRE 🔥
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) January 18, 2024
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It took the spearhead 25 balls until he conceded his first runs with an inside edge off Kavem Hodge breaking the drought.
Two balls later Hazlewood had his man with an outside edge this time flying straight to Steve Smith in the slips to make it 40 wickets at Adelaide Oval for the bowler.
4 WICKETS
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) January 18, 2024
2 RUNS
4.3 OVERS
Incredible bowling from Josh Hazlewood 🤯
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"They’ve arrived her with no experience and they’ve fought but the game doesn’t give them enough," Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.
"The ICC, the handouts – West Indies cricket, just look at the state it’s in," he added as debutant Justin Greaves faced Hazlewood with his side down 4-19.
It could have been even worse for the West Indies too with Kirk McKenzie surviving by the skin of his teeth after Mitch Marsh dropped a difficult catch off Pat Cummins’ bowling.
The No.3 tried to make the most of his reprieve as he then smacked Hazlewood to the boundary for the first time in 32 deliveries to start the innings.
Greaves then got in on the act to smoke one outside off stump to register his first boundary off Hazlewood’s final delivery of his sixth over.
However, after replacing Hazlewood in the attack, the recalled Cameron Green took just two balls before he lured McKenzie into an ill-advised drive that went straight to Marnus Labuschagne at short cover.
The capitulation was complete with the West Indies in severe trouble at 5-40, before Nathan Lyon trapped Greaves lbw with the final ball of the day after Cummins had reviewed the initial not out decision.
Josh Hazlewood reacts to blistering spell against West Indies
"I love the ground obviously," Hazelwood told Fox Cricket in the middle of the spell where he caused absolute carnage.
The quick has now bagged eight wickets across the two innings so far, conceding just 62 runs.
"There is a bit more seam movement from yesterday and more pace in the wicket," Hazlewood continued.
"They might middle a few on the length I'm going, and it won't be doing that much but then the next one they'll nick.
"If you're always in the game - even though you may get hit for a four occasional - it's just that five or six metre length as usual and you're good."