-(1).jpeg "Josh Hazlewood")
Josh Hazlewood has become the ninth Australian bowler to take 300 Test wickets, reaching the landmark with a six-wicket haul in the first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin. The 35-year-old entered the match needing five wickets to reach the milestone and surpassed it, taking his career tally to 301.
Hazlewood joins teammates Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc in the group of current Australian players who have crossed the 300-wicket mark in Test cricket. The achievement places him among a small and distinguished set of bowlers in Australian cricket history.
"You don't really think about those sort of milestones when you're playing," he said while speaking to Kayo Sports after the end of Bangladesh's first innings.
He added that it is something one looks back on at the end of their career. The understated response was in keeping with his reputation as a bowler who focuses on performance rather than personal landmarks.
How does Hazlewood's bowling average compare with other Australians in the 300-wicket club?
Of the nine Australians to have taken 300 or more Test wickets, only three hold a better bowling average than Hazlewood's 24.02. Glenn McGrath leads the group with an average of 21.64, followed by Cummins at 22.21 and Dennis Lillee at 23.92. Hazlewood's mark of 24.02 places him fourth on that list, ahead of the remaining five members of the club.
The figures underline how consistently Hazlewood has taken wickets across a long Test career, operating in varied conditions and against different batting line-ups. His average compares favourably with some of the most celebrated pace bowlers Australia has produced.
What was Hazlewood's availability and selection situation before the Bangladesh Test?
Hazlewood had featured in only six of Australia's last 14 Tests before this match and had not played any Test cricket in the year leading up to the Bangladesh series, owing to injury. His limited availability prompted debate over whether he should be selected for the opening Test in Darwin, with Scott Boland considered as an alternative option.
The selectors backed Hazlewood despite those concerns, and he responded with a six-wicket performance that settled any questions about his fitness and form. Having started the match five wickets short of 300, he reached and passed the milestone in a single innings, finishing with 301 career Test wickets. The manner of his return will strengthen his case for continued selection as Australia progresses through the series against Bangladesh.