MELBOURNE - As a new-look Australia bid to get back to winning ways in Bangladesh after their humbling Ashes defeat, paceman Josh Hazlewood will stay at home hoping to recapture the consistency that deserted him at the wrong time in England.
Along with left-arm strike bowler Mitchell Johnson, Hazlewood has been rested from the Bangladesh tour to recharge for upcoming series against New Zealand and West Indies. Both of the fast men bowled well in patches in England but failed to make an impression when the series was on the line. "I think I started very well, the first two tests were probably the best for me, then things caught up with me," Hazlewood told Cricket Australia's website (cricket.com.au). "I think I just probably lacked consistency in the third and fourth tests. "I probably tried to do a bit too much with the ball.
"You see that Dukes ball swinging and nipping around and you try and do too much, rather than just be patient. "I think the Australian wickets are going to be a bit flatter and it will suit that, you have to be a bit patient and wait for wickets."
It was a first setback in Hazlewood's test career after he enjoyed a seven-wicket debut against India in Brisbane last December. In a fairytale run, Hazlewood helped Australia to a 2-0 series victory over the tourists before toasting a World Cup win with the one-day team on home soil in March. He then dominated the West Indies' batsmen on tour in the Caribbean in June.
His Ashes ended painfully with a shin injury and he missed the final dead rubber test against England at The Oval as well as the following one-day series. After taking a few weeks off, the 24-year-old is ready to start training again and will warm up for the home summer in the domestic One-Day Cup tournament. "You never really want to be rested," said Hazlewood, who has 40 wickets from his nine tests at an average of 21.75. "You don't want to be on sidelines while a test match is going on, but we obviously understand that with so much more cricket on these days than there was maybe 10 or 15 years ago, you've got to manage your fast bowlers as best you can. "Being a big summer, you've got to take your breaks when you can."