Cummins, Hazlewood want to make comeback

SYDNEY: Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will continue their build-up to a return to international action by playing for the ACT Comets this week as Australia try to get into a position to be able to field their strongest pace attack for the first time since their meltdown in South Africa.

The pair will take the field against Western Australia in a Futures League match at Chisholm Oval in Canberra from Monday having both gained good workloads last week in a previous Futures League match where they each sent down 22 overs.

Cummins and Hazlewood have not played for Australia since the final Test of the controversial series earlier this year with both recovering from back injuries which kept them out of the series against Pakistan in the UAE.

Their returns to action have been carefully managed ahead of a busy home summer which begins with the one-day series against South Africa before the arrival of India for a full tour followed by a short visit from Sri Lanka in January. Last month Hazlewood was named joint vice-captain of the Test side alongside Mitchell Marsh.

If they are both passed fit — and selected — for the ODIs against South Africa, starting in Perth on November 4, there is a chance Australia will be able to reunite their first-choice pace attack if Mitchell Starc’s hamstring niggle picked up in Abu Dhabi does not prove serious.

Starc had a scan following the conclusion of the second Test — where he only bowled seven overs in the second innings — and though he has been retained in the T20 squad he is unlikely to be risked.