Aussie paceman Josh Hazlewood has rubbished suggestions cricket needs to ban the bouncer, backing the technique as a necessary wicket-taking strategy.
In just eight days, the short ball delivery has knocked out Will Pucovski, Harry Conway and Ravi Jadeja, while up-and-comer Cameron Green suffered a freak concussion while bowling at the SCG on Friday. It's brought into question renewed thinking around the consequences of the bouncer and it's implications on the health and safety of cricket players.
But speaking ahead of the opening Test in Adelaide, Hazlewood, who will face his own medicine in Australia's tail, stood behind the short-ball and it's ability to break an innings wide-open."I think it's here to stay, to be honest," Hazlewood said."It's about getting the wickets and cleaning up that tail as quick as we can.