Reversal of fortune: Hazlewood says old-ball swing ‘crucial’ to South Africa triumph

Gqeberha: Eight years after Sandpapergate, reverse swing is again playing a “crucial” role in Australia’s Test series in South Africa, with old-ball movement a key to both Josh Hazlewood’s outstanding first Test and the looming recall of Kagiso Rabada.

After what has felt like years of green, seaming surfaces, Hazlewood spoke openly on Friday of the importance of generating reverse swing this series, with all matches being played on traditional cricket grounds with wicket squares that can scuff the ball.

There’s no question about the legality of the methods being used this time to achieve it.

Hazlewood’s 6-49 was punctuated by several moments of sharp movement once the ball had lost its shine, including David Bedingham’s lbw dismissal and Wiaan Mulder’s leg glance into Alex Carey’s gloves. According to CricViz, it was the most old-ball movement Hazlewood had achieved in a Test match since the corresponding Durban Test in 2018.

“With [wickets in] Australia being the green seamers, it just doesn’t get talked about at all,” Hazlewood said.

“The ball still looks new late in the innings if it gets that far.

“So it’s more, you know, if you go back to SCG years ago, we definitely got reverse there every year, and then here in South Africa, [they’re] just abrasive wickets.

“It was very hard under foot [in Durban]. We probably got a hint of it in the first innings, and then as the game goes, it just sort of deteriorates more, and you get a bit more. So we knew it was crucial.

“You probably want the ball a little bit harder and a little bit of reverse swing, rather than a lot of reverse swing and the ball soft. It’s much easier to navigate as a batsman. So, you still want that carry with a harder ball, with just a hint of reverse swing, I think.”

Hazlewood predicted similar conditions at St George’s Park in what used to be known as Port Elizabeth, although forecast heavy rain on the first two days of the Test may affect matters.

“The conditions sort of dictate it,” he said. “So there’s probably more grass and seam movement if it’s not reversing, if that makes sense.

“If the wicket is hard, firm, deteriorating, [and with] not much seam movement, you’re probably going to get that reverse swing just due to the basic conditions of the ground and the square and the wicket. So yeah, [you] sort of always find one or the other, really.”

Hazlewood acknowledged Scott Boland was pressing hard for selection in this game, noting that the Victorian’s high standards made it somewhat easier for him, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc to put their hands up to miss a game if they were carrying an injury.

“He barely bowls poorly,” Hazlewood said of Boland.

“Every net [session], the boys come in [and] it’s like, ‘Oh, Scotty again’.

“So yeah, I think he’ll play a part in this series, I think he’ll play a part in the next 12 to 18 months. [He’s a] class act. His record is ridiculous.

“It probably makes it a bit easier on us if we are struggling from time to time to then think, you know, Scotty’s there, ready to go. It can make those conversations a bit easier, and again, it’s more of a [bowling] unit.

“Moving forward, we can not miss those, you know, big chunks [of cricket with injury]. We might miss a week or two here and there, and things settle quicker.

“We’ve just got a nice unit here at the moment.”

Rabada addressed the Proteas squad alongside captain Temba Bavuma at training on Thursday, and Hazlewood said the fast man was a material change factor to the series, given his wicket-taking record against Australia.

“I think he’s probably got both there,” Hazlewood said of Rabada’s skill and leadership combination.

“The skill set’s amazing. His strike rate’s second to none, I think, in terms of numbers. Every time he plays against us, he seems to create a bit of havoc.

“He’s a class player, and I think the batter is going to have to be switched on when he comes out.”

Hazlewood was also quizzed on the Australian conditions and schedule. Unsurprisingly, he said he would not like to see the SCG Test moved from its new-year slot, while also saying that grassy pitches had made life easier for fast bowlers in recent summers, but any reversion to flatter surfaces to help batsmen would not be up to him.

“I’d rather it go two days, like Mackay,” Hazlewood said. “I think there’s a balance there, obviously, with any sport.

“I remember when I first started playing Test cricket – the wickets were very, very flat. You know, the average per wicket was high. The games went five days.

“So, I think as long as you have a balance, it doesn’t have to change for the whole year. It can be, you know, week in, week out – some spin, some seam, some are flatter. So I think that will get a better-rounded player or better-rounded bowler as well.”

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