Oct 16 : Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood predicts reverse swing may be crucial to the outcome of the three-test series against South Africa, where abrasive pitches are helping revive a fading art.
Hazlewood extracted swing and used the reversing ball to good effect in the first test at Kingsmead in Durban, which ended on Tuesday with Australia winning by 214 runs.
Reverse swing could be as vital for the second test in Gqeberha, which starts on Sunday and where the St George's Park wickets are expected to be similar.
The art of reverse swing has faded in recent years with greener wickets and lusher outfields keeping the ball newer and less likely to rough up.
“The ball still looks new late in the innings if it gets that far,” said Hazlewood about playing back home in Australia, but it is a different story on tour in South Africa.
“It’s abrasive wickets. It's very hard underfoot,” he explained.
"We probably got a hint of swing in the first innings and then as the game goes it just deteriorates more and you get a bit more. So we knew it was crucial," he said of their success in Durban, where he returned carer-best figure of 6-49 in the last innings to secure Australia’s triumph.
"If the wicket is hard, firm, deteriorating and not much seam movement, you're probably going to get that reverse swing," Hazlewood told a pitch-side press conference on Friday as Australia prepared for Sunday.
"You probably want the ball a bit harder and a little bit of reverse swing rather than a lot of reverse swing and the ball's soft. That's much easier to navigate as a batsman,” he added.
Hazlewood, now 35, produced his performance in Durban after missing all of last season's Ashes series through injury.
“I just play every test match that comes,” he said of his longevity. "Could be your last one whenever. I don’t think about it much.
"I think you know it was great fun last week playing with the same guys. Doing the work in the last innings and taking the 20 wickets for the game on what was a pretty flat wicket for the majority. I don’t look too far ahead these days.”
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ken Ferris)