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MELBOURNE: Australia coach Justin Langer has defended the decision to leave Josh Hazlewood out of the World Cup squad, saying the paceman lacked match fitness as he recovers from a back injury.
Hazlewood, who partnered left-arm quicks Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson during Australia’s 2015 World Cup triumph, expressed his frustration last week at first missing out on a place in the initial squad for England and then being overlooked as Jhye Richardson’s replacement.
Richardson, ruled out with a shoulder injury, was replaced by namesake Kane Richardson, with Starc, Pat Cummins and Nathan Coulter-Nile the other pace bowlers picked.
“He just hasn’t been playing any cricket,” Langer said in England of the 28-year-old Hazlewood, who has claimed 72 wickets in 44 ODI matches. (AFP)
Hazlewood, who partnered left-arm quicks Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson during Australia’s 2015 World Cup triumph, expressed his frustration last week at first missing out on a place in the initial squad for England and then being overlooked as Jhye Richardson’s replacement.
Richardson, ruled out with a shoulder injury, was replaced by namesake Kane Richardson, with Starc, Pat Cummins and Nathan Coulter-Nile the other pace bowlers picked.
“He just hasn’t been playing any cricket,” Langer said in England of the 28-year-old Hazlewood, who has claimed 72 wickets in 44 ODI matches. (AFP)
