Josh Hazlewood: ‘If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it’

Australian star Josh Hazlewood believes it’s integral for he and his fellow bowlers to be training as close to their maximum capabilities as possible to get the best results on the pitch.

It comes after newly appointed Cricket Australia high performance boss Drew Ginn recently suggested Australia’s fast bowlers should only train at an intensity of 20 per cent in the nets, rather than at 80-100 per cent.

Despite Ginn being an Olympic gold medallist, the idea of utilising similar techniques to those that have previously been successful in the sport of rowing has been met with a mixed reception including from fellow Australian quick Mitchell Starc who did not agree with the recommendation.

Hazlewood who played a starring role in Australia’s success in retaining the Ashes told The Cricket Show it’s important to be training at a high intensity to maintain your skills and ability.

“I think at different stages you can train at different intensities I guess,” Hazlewood said.

“In and around matches you always like to push it as close as you can to match intensity just to get your body ready for the rigours of Test cricket or First-Class cricket.

“I think coming off a long break you can obviously train at different intensities building up to that point.

“I’m not sure about training for too long at that intensity (20 per cent).

“When we’re talking pace, if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it – is the saying that goes around sometimes and I tend to agree with that one.”

Hazlewood has played 48 Tests and taken 184 wickets at an average of 26.57 and has previously served as vice-captain of the national team.

Australia play Pakistan in their first Test of the summer beginning on November 21 at the Gabba.

 

Click ‘play’ to hear the full interview below.

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images.