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Hazlewood: Australia relaxed and eyeing Ashes whitewash

Josh Hazlewood acknowledged Australia can relax after reclaiming the Ashes, though they are determined to close out the series with a five-match sweep.

Josh Hazlewood

Melbourne, December 25: Josh Hazlewood acknowledged Australia can relax after reclaiming the Ashes, though they are determined to close out the series with a five-match sweep.

The Boxing Day Test gets underway in Melbourne on Tuesday, with Australia holding an unassailable 3-0 lead against England.

Australia put England to the sword in Perth, where the hosts won by an innings and 41 runs and while a heel injury has sidelined Mitchell Starc, paceman Hazlewood insisted his team-mates are not prepared to take their foot off the pedal.

"We can relax a little bit, with the series won, but hopefully our best comes through now," said Hazlewood, who has taken 15 wickets in the series so far.

"Watching the last time the Aussies went 5-0 [in 2013-14] and a couple of times before that it's good to watch and hopefully to replicate it this year.

"It's been good start, and now we have two games to go."

Hazlewood and the Australians will once again set out to target England's tail.

England have been unable to make the most of some promising starts, losing 56-6 and 82-6 in the first Test, 57-6 in the day-night match at Adelaide Oval and 35-6 in Perth.

"I think that has been one of the big differences, our middle to lower order has wagged a fair bit, especially Pat Cummins and Tim Paine as well," Hazlewood said.

"We know if we get them four or five down we can really go through that bottom half pretty quickly on any wicket.

"We don't really need much in the wicket to take those last six. It's about grinding out and getting those first four or five, doing our work there, then reap the rewards later on."

Source: OPTA

Story first published: Monday, December 25, 2017, 14:44 [IST]
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