Australia v New Zealand: Aussie pacer Hazlewood given nod over Siddle for Test opener

Black Caps choose Bracewell instead of Henry in playing eleven.

BRISBANE: Josh Hazlewood was preferred to Peter Siddle as Australia’s third pace bowler on Wednesday for the opening Test against New Zealand on the bouncy Gabba wicket.

Skipper Steve Smith said Hazlewood was picked to complement Australia’s two left-arm pacemen Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc in the bowling attack for Thursday’s first Test.

Siddle misses out despite taking six wickets in his last Test appearance against England in August, after Hazlewood was dropped for the final Test of the failed Ashes campaign.

“Peter will be the 12th man. It’s obviously disappointing for him, he bowled extremely well in the last Test match at The Oval against England,” Smith told a Test-eve media conference. “Josh did a terrific job out here [Gabba] last year and I think he’ll complement both the left-armers really well.”

Hazlewood took five for 68 in India’s first innings on his Test debut at the Gabba last December.

Smith also said that all-rounder Mitch Marsh would bat at six with wicketkeeper Peter Nevill at seven.

Meanwhile, the Black Caps preferred Doug Bracewell to Matt Henry in their eleven. “It’s a bit of a coin-toss with them but we’re comfortable either way... and we felt that Doug was bowling a touch better at this time,” said Kiwi captain Brendon McCullum.

‘Nice guys image is no act’

Skipper McCullum insisted that New Zealand’s “nice guys” image was authentic as he responded calmly to Australian claims that their friendly demeanour was just an act.

“That’s how we play. It’s not for everyone and we don’t expect everyone to play the way that we do,” he said. “Everyone is entitled to play in their own way and we’ve worked out that this gives us our greatest chance as a team.”  

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2015.

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