Ashes 2019, England vs Australia: Sixty is hard work to come back from during a Test, says Josh Hazlewood

Australia then ended Friday’s second day on 171-6 in their second innings, a commanding lead of 283 runs.

Josh Hazlewood said Australia were beginning to reopen some old Ashes wounds after they bowled England out for a woeful 67 in the third Test at Headingley. Fast bowler Hazlewood led the way with 5-30 as England were dismissed inside 28 overs, with only Joe Denly (12) reaching double figures. Australia then ended Friday’s second day on 171-6 in their second innings, a commanding lead of 283 runs.

Australia's Josh Hazlewood celebrates taking the wicket of England's Jonny Bairstow.(Action Images via Reuters)

Marnus Labuschagne was 53 not out, his third successive fifty after replacing the concussed Steve Smith in the drawn second Test at Lord’s, with his first-innings 74 in this match seven more than England managed between them.

Victory in this match would see Australia retain the Ashes at 2-0 up with two to play in a five-Test series and Hazlewood said: “I guess we might be starting a few scars there.

“I don’t think many teams are winning if one of their innings is 60 or 70 runs,” he added with England having skittled Australia out for 60 on the way to an Ashes-clinching win in Nottingham four years ago.

“Sixty is hard work to come back from during a Test,” said Hazlewood, who played in that infamous 2015 match at Trent Bridge.

“If we start well they might think ‘here we go again’ so it’s about creating that doubt in the mind. I can’t remember a day like this to be honest, it was a great day...simple as that.”

Hazlewood started and finished Australia’s rout of England.

His impressive haul included the key wicket of captain Joe Root, out for a second-ball nought with what England batting coach Graham Thorpe said was an “absolute beauty” of a delivery.

Root’s zero on his Yorkshire home ground followed a golden duck at Lord’s.

Before this series Root, England’s leading batsman, decided to return to number three in a bid to shore up a fallible top order but Hazlewood was happy to see him coming in at the fall of the first wicket.

“I certainly like him in there as early as possible,” said Hazlewood.

“They follow him a little bit, he’s the leader, he’s the captain, he’s got the best average, he’s their best batsman going by numbers.

“So if we can get him I think they can be vulnerable at times. I think they love to feel bat on ball, especially through that middle order, so if we can dry up the runs and force a mistake then that’s fantastic,” he added.

Australia have six fast bowlers in their squad, and Hazlewood said the competition -- Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle missed out at Headingley -- helped maintain a high standard.

“It keeps you on your toes because if you go out on days like today and bowl poorly, it may be your last game of the series given how good the quicks are on the bench,” he explained.

- Labuschagne’s ‘good guts’ -

Hazlewood also praised the “fantastic” Labuschagne’s response to his unexpected call-up, saying: “He’s got some good guts and he’s a fighter.”

This was the third time England had been bowled out for under a hundred in their last seven Tests, with Thorpe admitting: “It’s up to us to get through those first spells...We haven’t done it today, there’s no excuses.”

Only three teams have made over 300 to win in the fourth innings of a Test at Headingley -- Australia (404-3 in 1948), England (315-4 against Australia in 2001) and West Indies (322-5 in 2017).

Nevertheless, Thorpe insisted: “What I would say is the game is not over from this position. There’s been scores here chased down in the fourth innings of over 300 before. That’s us in our dressing room now making sure we stay up and stay confident.”