Josh Hazlewood offered a blunt criticism of Australia's failings with the bat on day two of the fourth Ashes Test, blaming laziness for the host's first-innings collapse at the MCG.
Having resumed on 244-3, Steve Smith's men looked set to rack up an imposing total on a flat surface, but instead slumped to 327 all out - their last five wickets going down for the addition of just 13 runs.
READ: Cook prepares Australian curry in Broad daylight
Smith, Mitchell Marsh and Tim Paine all played on to somewhat innocuous deliveries, before England reached 192-2 in reply thanks largely to Alastair Cook's unbeaten 104.
"We probably should have pushed on to 400 plus this morning, but we lost a few wickets early and that set us back. We definitely left a few out there," Hazlewood told ABC Grandstand.
Asked if complacency had led to Australia's batting collapse, the seamer replied: "Yeah, I think you could say that, definitely. I guess lazy, as well, is probably another way of saying it, a few of the boys.
READ: The Ashes Round-up: Centurion Cook answers critics as England hits back
"They know that and they need to be better, especially in the second innings. It's definitely a 400-plus wicket in the first innings.
"As far as the ball goes, we worked hard but we can be a little bit better, I think. Patty Cummins was obviously unwell as well, so that didn't help at all.
"I think they [England] are probably a little bit on top, I guess you could say. We were probably a little bit inconsistent bowling.
"It's obviously a very good wicket, but we've got to bowl straighter, [be] a little bit more consistent and dry the scoreboard up and build pressure that way."
Comments
SHARE