England vs Australia 2020: Josh Hazlewood Aims to Take T20I Momentum into ODI Series

Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood hopes Australia can take their winning momentum into the one-day series against world champions England after victory in the final Twenty20 international against their arch-rivals.

Hazlewood, playing his first T20 international in more than four years, took 1-23 from his four overs, including the wicket of dangerman Tom Banton, as Australia beat England by five wickets in Southampton on Tuesday.

Victory could not prevent England winning the three-match series 2-1 but it meant Australia leapfrogged the hosts as the world’s top-ranked T20 side.

“It feels great to get a win after such a long break,” Hazlewood said on Wednesday.

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“Being the number one T20 side is always a great feeling and yes, the win will give us momentum heading into the ODI series.”

The 29-year-old paceman added: “It was good to be playing T20 cricket again for Australia. It’s been a long time.”

India preview

Once Australia’s three-match one-day international series against England is completed, Hazlewood is set to play in the Indian Premier League for the Chennai Super Kings.

The IPL could give Hazlewood an early glimpse of future opponents ahead of Australia’s home Test series with India.

“It is going to be interesting playing with a few of the guys who we will come up against this (Australian) summer,” said Hazlewood.

“It would be good to get some insights as to how they think about the game — obviously IPL is a different format.”

Virus restrictions may mean Brisbane, the usual venue for the first Test of an Australian season, does not stage the opening match of the India series.

Australia have not lost a Test at Brisbane’s Gabba ground since 1988 and Hazlewood said they were keen to start there.

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Both Hazlewood and fellow senior Test fast bowler Pat Cummins may see little red-ball action ahead of the India series, given they are both playing in the IPL, being staged this year in the United Arab Emirates because of Covid-19.

If their teams make the final, they may not return to Australia until mid-November. They would then have to undergo a fortnight’s quarantine, making them unavailable for the first-class domestic Sheffield Shield.

That would leave a possible Australia v Australia A trial game as their only red-ball warm-up ahead of the Tests.

Hazlewood, however, said one game would be sufficient.

“I’m quite happy with just the one long-format game,” he said. “I feel like that’s enough for me to get up and running. That’s what I’ve done the last five or six years –- played one Shield game and straight into the Test matches.”

England play Australia in the first of the three ODIs at Old Trafford on Friday, the first time the teams have met in the format since eventual champions England beat Australia in the World Cup semi-final last year.