Learning to love Josh Hazelwood

The Aussie team will be on the plane as I write this, headed for the UK and Ireland. They play one ODI against the Irish in Dublin and then a tour match or two before embarking on a pretty boring and pointless ODI series against England. There's 5 this time, which is only marginally better than 7 isn't it? Especially considering it's only happening because Australia happen to be here to play Pakistan. I have to say, I'd rather see a couple more against Ireland and a couple less against England.

Two pieces of big news of late: first someone on the Cricket Australia site, who miraculously seems to have never spoken to an Aussie in his life, referred to Hilfy as Australia's "forgotten" bowler (???) and second, Josh Hazelwood - a relative unknown from NSW who should be training at the centre for excellence in Brisbane about now - took a bat to Mitchy's elbow and managed to get himself called up to the one-day side. The 19 year old had apparently never even met Punter (lucky sod) before arriving at the airport to head off to London.

So, how do we feel about Joshy? Well, he's not Mitchy and this can mean a number of things:

• There may be more mother problems. With Joshy being so young, his mummy may have decided to join him on the tour. The positive thing is that there is no way anyone can be as big a mummy's boy as Mitchy so things can't possibly be worse.
• Nerves. The little 'uns can get em. But actually, Joshy is a bit of an old hand at being the young 'un on the side so maybe not so much. Of course, if anyone else hasn't successfully blocked Mitchy's nervy and arse-clenchingly awful performances in the Ashes last year (I'm still trying) they will know that it's not just newbies that are attacked by the jitters.
• Joshy's middle name is Reginald. Need I say more?
• Joshy doesn't yet have a model/actress on his arm, but let's hope when he does he goes more for the Mitchy style babe than the Pup style slapper. Someone who'll keep her gear on in public, please. May I suggest someone currently in the cast of Neighbours?
• Batting. We don't expect much from Joshy. He is most definitely a bowler. We have needed Mitchy's batting prowess in the 50 over format more than once. Let's pray Jimmy Hopes can fill that gap.
• It can't do Joshy any harm to play along side My Lord, who will naturally be God-like.

And finally, hair. With Mitchy it's a real issue:

Although it can instill fear in small animals, it doesn't have much of an effect on batsmen. With Joshy, we may have a return to normality:

I'm not sure he'll get to play much beyond the tour matches and maybe the match against Ireland, but if he comes to Derby with the rest of them I shall attempt to corrupt him with the help of an ice cream.