Yasir Shah may have just "woken up the beast." This is the general sense in the Australian camp after his haughty celebration following Steven Smith's dismissal for the seventh time in last week's first Test in Brisbane.

It's fair to say that Smith was perhaps not at his most focused when he entered the fray, after David Warner, Joe Burns and Marnus Labuschagne had already taken Australia well past Pakistan's first innings.

But he will be very much more so in Adelaide, admitting that Yasir's gesture had undoubtedly raised his competitive ire. The Australians flew into Adelaide on Tuesday and were followed a couple hours later by the visitors, who must win in Australia for the first time since 1995 if they wish to square the series.

"I am motivated, particularly after he put his fingers up ... that he got me seven times," Smith said in Adelaide. "A couple of the boys were in the sheds just after that and said 'he's just woken up the beast' or something like that. We're in for a battle next week. I'm not going to be giving away my wicket very easily this time.

"I actually didn't even know that he'd gotten me out [seven times]. I thought that he'd gotten me out once or twice. Seven times? There you go. Pakistan [UAE] 2014, he got me twice at least there, actually three times."

Though the record looks impressive for Yasir, several of these dismissals came in scenarios when quick runs were sought to further Australia's advantage. "A few of those times I was slogging to set up a game or second innings he got me out slogging trying to do something once or twice too," Smith said. "A couple of I guess you'd call them cheap wickets in a way, but he's got me a couple of conventional times as well.

"I thought he bowled really well at the Gabba last week. He got good drift and a little bit of spin when it was on offer. I'm not overly worried about him but playing with a bit more discipline this week and hopefully will score some runs.

"I spoke to JL in the morning [before batting] and I was like 'how should I go about this, should I just take it on'. He said 'just go out and entertain them, do what you want'," Smith said. "It was probably a bit more casual than if I'd come in at 2 for 20. I probably would have been a bit more cautious and got into my innings a bit more rather than playing a somewhat reckless shot. But we live and we learn and we go again.

"The scoreboard was in a pretty good place. I wasn't too disappointed. I usually do get pretty disappointed when I get out but the position we were in, we were in a pretty good one so it didn't faze me too much and it seemed to make him pretty happy, that's for sure."

Yasir had less success against Labuschagne, who contributed the sort of big, spinal first innings hundred that Smith has made into his trademark. Comparisons have been made as to the quirky nature of both Smith and his eager pupil, though the older man was not shy to draw a distinction.

"He's way stranger than I am," Smith said. "I thought he played beautifully. I've been really impressed with the way he went about things in England, the way he prepared, we talked a lot about batting. He's got a good understanding of what he's trying to do, what he's trying to achieve.

"He's been getting a lot of starts since sort of getting into the side. He's got a lot of 60s and 70s. The challenge for him is to turn them into 180 like he did last week. If he's doing that consistently, he's going to be a very, very good player in all forms of the game."

Nelson Mandela Bay Giants' Farhaan Behardien has been sidelined from the rest of the Mzansi Super League with injury. Thirty-nine-year-old Port Elizabeth-born Netherlands batsman Ryan ten Doeschate has been signed as Behardien's replacement.

Behardien brings a wealth of short-format experience, having played more then 350 T20s, including stints in the IPL, Big Bash League, Pakistan Super League, Bangladesh Premier League and more recently the T10 league in the UAE.

Giants have set the early pace this season, claiming four wins in five games to top the points table.

"I spent so much time watching cricket in the 1980s in Port Elizabeth," Ten doeschate said of his South African homecoming. "It's now an utter privilege that I get to play with a team that is doing so well in this tournament. I think it's going to be absolutely fantastic and I am really looking forward to it."

Giants' coach and former South Africa pacer Eric Simons welcomed the value ten Doeschate would add to the side.

"When we lost Farhaan we obviously lost a specific talent and we thus needed to find someone who could bring that to the game," Simons said. "We needed someone who can access the boundaries and perform much like the way we've seen with Heino Kuhn. "Ryan brings with him significant experience, calmness and he's a leader."

Giants will next face Paarl Rocks in a top-of-the-table clash at St George's Park on November 27.

Joe Root has dropped out of the world's Test batting top 10 for the first time in more than five years.

Root, fell to 11th in the latest ICC rankings, released on Tuesday, after scores of two and 11 in England's innings defeat in the first Test against New Zealand.

With an average of 27.40 from 10 Tests this year compared with 47.35 for his career, it is the first time since August 2014 that Root - who was the world's No. 1 batsman in August 2015 - has sat outside the top 10. His figures have also fallen since he took over the England Test captaincy in 2017, averaging 39.70 since then compared with 52.80 beforehand.

Root said it was "an easy excuse" to say his captaincy had led to his poor form with the bat.

"I've had a rough time in terms of scores," Root said. "I'm working hard. You have to go through a bit of a dip. The fact I'm captain, it's an easy excuse to use. I'm going to have to keep trusting my game because I've got a lot in the bank. I must not overthink things and just try to find that rhythm which allows me to get my innings off and running."

Also read: Who could possibly take over from Joe Root?

Ben Stokes reached a career-high ninth on the latest list to be the highest-ranked England player in the batting rankings. India opener Mayank Agarwal broke into the top ten for batsmen, replacing Root at No. 10.

New Zealand left-arm quick Neil Wagner moved up to No.3 among bowlers in the ICC Test rankings. He gained five places after bagging eight wickets, including a five-for in the second innings, to lead New Zealand to victory against England in the first-ever Test in Mount Maunganui.

Wagner's team-mate BJ Watling, who became the first New Zealand wicketkeeper to make a Test double-hundred, shot up 12 spots to be placed 12th among Test batsmen. Watling had soaked up 473 balls in Mount Maunganui - only Sri Lanka's Brendon Kuruppu has faced more balls than the New Zealander among wicketkeeper-batsmen in a Test innings.

Australia's Marnus Labuschagne reached career-best points tally of 684 and slotted in at 21. Labuschagne's 185 in the Brisbane Test was central to Australia securing an innings victory over Pakistan.

David Warner, who endured a torrid Ashes series in England, opened the home Test summer with 154 and gained six places to move to 17th. Steven Smith continues to be the No.1-ranked Test batsman with 931 points, followed closely by India captain Virat Kohli with 928 points, having hit a century in the first-ever pink-ball Test in India.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of how India's pacers dominated their home season in resounding wins over South Africa and Bangladesh was that it was done without Jasprit Bumrah, India's highest ranked Test bowler and arguably most potent weapon.

The trio of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav have already stacked up never-before-seen numbers, and the addition of Bumrah makes for a pace quartet that could potentially be an all-conditions force for the next few years.

Without comparing the four Indian pacers to past West Indies pace quartets - it's far too early for that anyway - Phil Simmons said watching good fast bowling was exciting, no matter which team the bowlers belonged to.

"I can't say how long ago, but when I first came here, you would have Madan Lal opening the bowling," Simmons said at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday. "Now you have guys bowling at 90 miles per hour opening and your premier fast bowler (Bumrah) was injured for this Test, so you still have him to come back. It's exciting for world cricket. Teams know now that you have to play properly on both sides - you have to have proper fast bowlers and proper spinners to beat India. Fast bowling from anybody is exciting, so it's great to see that happen. Hopefully we can get back our battery of young fast bowlers to the level where we're competing and giving people trouble."

Simmons is back as the West Indies coach for a second spell, and the team will take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test starting Wednesday. While this will be a regularly scheduled Test match, Simmons was left impressed with what he had watched of India's inaugural day-night, pink-ball Test at the Eden Gardens. He also endorsed India captain Virat Kohli's views on how Test matches should be marketed.

"I did watch the first day. It was exciting to see Eden Gardens full. It's an awesome sight," Simmons said. "I think Virat hit the nail on the head when he said we have to promote Test cricket as hard as we promote T20. Even though T20 has more money involved, we have to promote it the same way. I think if that's done, we can see a resurgence of big crowds in Test cricket anywhere you go in the world."

The Eden Gardens Test finished on the third day, but drew big crowds on all three days. Questions remain about the visibility of the pink ball under lights, but having never been part of a day-night Test yet, Simmons said he could only offer his opinion on how well it could be sighted once he had first-hand experience.

However, he was convinced this was the way forward for cricket. "Especially day-night Test cricket, I think that is the future," he said.

The 2017 bronze medallist forms part of Britain’s 40-strong squad for the event in Lisbon

Andrew Butchart is to return to European Cross Country Championships action on December 8 as the 2017 bronze medallist leads Britain’s 40-strong team for the event in Lisbon, Portugal.

The Scot is among 21 selected athletes to have claimed a medal at these championships in the past, including 13 from last year’s edition in Tilburg.

Butchart is joined in the senior men’s squad by trials winner and 2016 team gold medallist Ben Connor, who also returns to the Euro Cross fold for the first time since 2017, while Adam Hickey makes his first Euro Cross team since 2015, having been Britain’s youngest ever male medallist at the championships in 2004 when he was aged 16.

British trail and mountain runner Tom Evans earns a first GB cross country vest, while Patrick Dever and orienteer Kristian Jones complete the team.

In the senior women’s squad, trials winner Jess Judd gains her first senior individual Euro Cross vest and goes in search of a seventh championships medal. She will be joined by the in-form Charlotte Arter and nine-time Euro Cross medallist Kate Avery, who both took team silver last year in Tilburg, plus Amy Griffiths, Abbie Donnelly and Jenny Nesbitt.

The team of Alex Bell, Jonathan Davies, Sarah McDonald and James McMurray will look to regain the mixed relay title which GB last won in 2017.

The under-23 selections include Mahamed Mahamed, who makes an appearance in his fifth successive Euro Cross team, with Bronwen Owen earning a first British vest since the 2015 European U20 Championships. Trial winners Matt Willis and Saskia Millard lead the junior selections.

Team leader Rob Denmark said: “Off the back of yet another extremely competitive trial event in Liverpool, we are fortunate to be able to name an incredibly strong team to travel to Lisbon for the European Cross Country Championships.

“The team that we are taking contains a good level of experience across all age groups at these championships and on the international stage, which will hopefully set us up to contend for individual and team medals once again.”

GB team

Senior men
Andrew Butchart
Ben Connor
Patrick Dever
Adam Hickey
Tom Evans
Kristian Jones

Senior women
Charlotte Arter
Kate Avery
Abbie Donnelly
Amy Griffiths
Jess Judd
Jenny Nesbitt

U23 men
Emile Cairess
Mahamed Mahamed
Euan Makepeace
John Millar
Sol Sweeney
Alex Yee

U23 women
Eleanor Bolton
Cari Hughes
Hannah Nuttall
Bronwen Owen
Amelia Quirk
Poppy Tank

Junior men
Hamish Armitt
Will Barnicoat
Charles Hicks
Zakariya Mahamed
Matt Stonier
Matt Willis

Junior women
Izzy Fry
Cera Gemmell
Megan Keith
Olivia Mason
Saskia Millard
Amelia Samuels

Mixed relay
Alex Bell
Jonathan Davies
Sarah McDonald
James McMurray

In his Dynamo Kiev days alongside Andriy Shevchenko, former Ukraine forward Serhiy Rebrov scored so many vital goals for his team that he earned the nickname of "The Rescuer." By the end of this season, one wonders what the Bayern Munich fans will be calling Robert Lewandowski.

Bayern started the campaign in a rare state of disarray, scrambling to secure the services of Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Perisic just before deadline day, and were threatened by the excellent early form of RB Leipzig and Borussia Monchengladbach. Then there was the loss of Niklas Sule to a long-term injury and the sacking of manager Niko Kovac following a 5-1 thrashing by Eintracht Frankfurt, Kovac's former team. In normal times, such a haphazard few months would see Bayern in mid-table. Yet they are the joint highest scorers in the league, just four points off first place, and that is thanks in large to their exceptional Polish forward, who recently ranked No. 3 striker in the 2019 FC 100.

Lewandowski began this season as if he were personally offended that anyone could think there was a better centre-forward on the planet. At first glance, it's difficult to think of any other reason for his sustained brilliance since August. He has 16 goals in 11 Bundesliga matches, netting in all 11 games (a league record), with 23 in 18 for Bayern across all competitions. The red-hot striker even found time for a hat trick in a 3-0 win over Latvia in a Euro 2020 qualifier.

In current form, he could probably sit out two whole months right now and still end up as the frontman for the UEFA Team of the Year. Lewandowski's outsized contributions to his team's attacking output are reminiscent of Luis Suarez at Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers, or Lionel Messi at Barcelona at, well, any time in the past decade. Lewandowski has eclipsed Harry Kane at Tottenham Hotspur, Sergio Aguero at Manchester City and Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus, and should arguably stand alone as the world's premier No. 9.

At an age when most forwards begin to slow down, the 31-year-old is getting better, scoring at a rate of more than a goal per game this season, a slight improvement on his rate over the past five seasons. How has he done it? First there is his much-celebrated fitness regime, for which his wife, Anna -- a multiple world champion in karate and a nutrition specialist -- has provided input. Second, Jonathan Harding, the German football writer and author, has pointed to a prosaic factor: that of relaxation, noting that this was a rare summer when Lewandowski enjoyed a full rest.

At a time where the National Basketball Association is looking anew at the physical demands it places on its players -- referred to as "the dirty little secret that everybody knows about" -- it is refreshing to be reminded of the benefits of some time off. The conversation about "load management" -- or, in the European context, "player rotation" -- is a slightly less vexed one in football than in basketball, given that the latter sport has far more games per season. That said, leading pundit Gary Lineker recently noted that a team's leading players tend not to get any significant breaks. Seeing Lewandowski's extraordinary form, perhaps more clubs will go easier on their key players in the preseason.

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Ready for the new season?? @fcbayern

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This year has also been an excellent showcase for the range of Lewandowski's gifts. One photograph from that preseason was a reminder of his superb physical shape, a far cry from the lanky build he boasted in his Borussia Dortmund days. Another video from that period saw him juggling the ball with the dexterity of a leading freestyle footballer.

He also has a considerable change of pace: Watch him sprint away for his team's goal away against RB Leipzig, a side regarded as having the best defence in the division. Look, too, at the breakdown of his 16 league goals; though there's been only one scored with his left, there have been four with his head and the rest with his trusty right. Within those, too, there has been notable variety: one exquisite free kick, two confident penalties, two on the counterattack and one graceful individual goal against Eintracht, which is possibly one of the strikes of the season.

Lewandowski has also played with remarkable freedom at a time when his peers have struggled -- Serge Gnabry is second on the team with three goals, while Perisic and Coutinho have two each. However, despite their relative struggles, Lewandowski has carried the burden, to a point where -- judging by the recent 4-0 humiliation of Dortmund under interim coach Hansi Flick -- his team seems ready to recover.

The German word for "The Rescuer" is "Der Retter," and "Retter Lewandowski" might have a certain ring to it. Given how much he's already salvaged his team's fortunes, his supporters -- let alone his teammates -- could yet find themselves with little choice. One thing is for sure, though: Many years after Rebrov redeemed Dynamo Kiev, Bayern Munich seem to have found themselves an even greater saviour in the Polish No. 9.

Big picture

Don't let Afghanistan's two-day loss on their Test debut against India fool you. Incidentally then, Phil Simmons was their head coach. Today, he's in the opposition camp, perhaps with a bank of knowledge he'd want to share with his West Indies team. Since that insipid debut, of course, Afghanistan have beaten Ireland in India and Bangladesh in Bangladesh. If they beat West Indies in Lucknow, they'll become the only team in the history of the sport to win three of their first four Tests.

The possibility is real. Under captain Rashid Khan, who has taken three five-wicket hauls in his last four Test innings, Afghanistan will run into a wonky West Indies batting line-up. The win in the T20I series should boost the 'hosts' to that effect. In their last three Tests, only twice have the West Indies batsmen gone past fifty. On a ground that is hosting it's maiden Test, there are a lot of unknown variables, not least of all the pitch. Against a spin-based attack, West Indies will be tested.

That said, Afghanistan would also do well to worry about their batting batting weakness. Barring Rahmat Shah, few have shown the tenacity to bat long. In both of Afghanistan's Test wins, Rahmat's contributions have been as integral as Rashid's. But with senior allrounder Mohammad Nabi having retired from Tests, someone else too needs to step up.

For West Indies, the series is about showing that they aren't falling behind in the red-ball format. For Afghanistan, it's time to say that, they too, possess the quality to find a spot in the next cycle's World Test Championship.

Form Guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)

Afghanistan WWL
West Indies LLLWW

In the spotlight

It appears that the job of filling the Nabi void has been given to 21-year-old allrounder Karim Janat, who has earned a Test berth after a splendid T20I series against West Indies. He struck an 18-ball 26 in the first game, then took 5 for 11 in the second before finishing the series with 1 for 33 in the third. He can find speeds of 140kph regularly, and with his elder brother Asghar Afghan there for company, Janathe can find an arm around him for comfort, instead of being intimidated by the prospects of a main Test appearance.

The form that made Kraigg Brathwaite ESPNcricinfo's opener of the year in 2016 has gradually diminished as the decade comes to a close. He's gone 19 innings without a Test fifty, and since February 2019, his only first-class century was one for Glamorgan in the English County Championship. It's West Indies' last Test match of the year, and with no other Test till they face England in June 2020, the team's seniormost batsmen will ache to end 2019 with an impactful performance.

Team news

Afghanistan coach Lance Klusener said it would be desirable to keep faith with the XI that won the Test in Bangladesh, though they'll have to find a replacement for the retired Mohammad Nabi of course. Given the way Karim Janat performed in the T20Is, and that he offers an all-round option, he could well be the man to replace Nabi, even though he bowls seam up rather than spin. Afghanistan having plenty of spin options already with Rashid, Qais and Zahir.

Afghanistan XI (probable): Ibrahim Zadran, Ihsanullah, Rahmat Shah, Javed Ahmadi, Asghar Afghan, Karim Janat, Afsar Zazai (wk), Rashid Khan (capt), Qais Ahmed, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zahir Khan.

Rahkheem Cornwall had an ice-pack strapped to his left knee and didn't take part in the warm-up drills or training session for West Indies. Coach Phil Simmons, however, said a final call on Cornwall would be taken only on the morning of the match. John Campbell is recovering from a stomach bug.

West Indies XI (probable): Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell/Sunil Ambris, Shai Hope, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder (capt), Shane Dowrich (wk), Rahkeem Cornwall, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican/Alzarri Joseph.

Pitch and conditions

The match will be played on the same surface as the second ODI was played on. It's a red-soil pitch, and is expected to aid spin bowling. Expect foggy mornings at the onset of winters up north in India. As such, conditions for red-ball cricket is relatively unknown at the ground, with only three first-class games being played at Lucknow since 2017.

Stats and trivia

• In the last three first-class games at Lucknow, an average of 2 centuries and 3.33 half-centuries have been witnessed per match

• With 333 runs, Jason Holder is West Indies' highest run-scorer in 2019, averaging over 55 runs per innings. The second-highest run-scorer, Roston Chase, is more than 100 runs behind Holder.

• Rashid Khan averages 18 runs per wicket in Tests

What they said

"Obviously one day I'd like to play at 'home' home, but this is home away from home for us. The surfaces have suited us, and that's the important thing if you're going to have home advantage".
Lance Klusener , Afghanistan coach.

"They've had three Tests, and did well to win in Bangladesh, but it's still a learning phase for them and hopefully we can capitalise on that."
Phil Simmons, West Indies coach

With inputs from Saurabh Somani in Lucknow

Western Australia 6 for 210 (Marsh 101*, Steketee 2-32) beat Queensland 205 (Peirson 79, Richardson 3-35) by four wickets

It really was Shaun Marsh's Cup.

Australia's one-day domestic competition's title sponsor has nothing to do with Shaun or his famous cricketing family, for as much mirth as the possible link has provided. But the 36-year-old proved why he is still one of Australia's premier domestic players carrying Western Australia to their 14th title with a magnificent unbeaten century to sneak past Queensland in the final at Allan Border Field in Brisbane.

WA's star bowlers Jhye Richardson and Nathan Coulter-Nile had set the game up claiming three wickets each to bowl Queensland out for 205 after winning the toss. The hosts were fortunate to make that many thanks to a brilliant 79 from Jimmy Peirson.

Chasing 206, WA were 3 for 23 at one stage but Marsh guided his side home with an unbeaten 101 from 132 with 13 boundaries. It was Marsh at his sublime best, driving, cutting, and pulling with textbook assuredness on a surface where only two players passed 37 on either side.

He got good support initially from Marcus Stoinis who made 37. Although the allrounder absorbed 62 deliveries and at one stage was 10 off 37 balls, Marsh kept the scoreboard moving. Stoinis eventually got going against the part-time spin of Matt Renshaw, but after clubbing a four and six he holed out in the deep. WA wobbled again slumping to 6 for 151 with 15 overs left when Cam Green fell to a stunning catch from Max Bryant diving to his left at backward point. But Marsh and Ashton Agar didn't panic. They had to withstand a probing spell from Billy Stanlake who bowled sensationally without reward, finishing with 0 for 30 after beating the bat endlessly.

Marsh cruised to his 9th one-day domestic century before Agar smashed a six to bring up the winning runs with two overs to spare.

Earlier, Peirson salvaged the Queensland innings after Richardson and Coulter-Nile ripped through their top order.

The quicks made the most of a surface with plenty of live grass after WA captain Ashton Turner won the toss. Richardson pinned Bryant lbw with a ball that nipped back sharply off the seam before Sam Heazlett chopped on off Coulter-Nile to leave the Queensland 2 for 8. Usman Khawaja weathered the storm and looked in sublime touch racing to 26 with two boundaries and a six. He looked untroubled, and every bit the joint player of the tournament alongside absent Queensland teammate Marnus Labuschagne, until Coulter-Nile found some extra bounce and nip to catch his outside edge. Richardson sucked Renshaw into driving on the up to have him caught at second slip before trapping Jack Wildermuth flush on the shin in front of middle stump.

But from 5 for 56 after 14 overs Peirson and Bryce Street rebuilt. Street struggled for fluency scoring 29 from 72 balls with just one boundary but Peirson controlled the scoring with sharp footwork and good placement. Stoinis was particularly effective in tying up Street, delivering his 10 overs for just 30 runs. They shared a 46-run stand until Street fell to a stunning one-handed return catch by Agar. He dived to his right, his non-dominant hand, past the ducking non-striker Peirson to pluck the chipped drive.

Peirson found allies in Mark Steketee and Matt Kuhnemann to lift the total up over 200. He fell for 79 in the final over, caught at deep fine leg hooking Coulter-Nile.

Queensland had WA under enormous pressure at 3 for 23. Cameron Bancroft was out hooking Steketee, having replaced Josh Philippe at the top of the order and as the wicketkeeper, while D'Arcy Short was caught at mid-off failing to stay on top of a drive off Michael Neser. Turner was Neser's second victim adjudged lbw to a delivery that seamed a long way back into the right-hander.

But they couldn't get Marsh. It was WA's third title in seven years, and their first under coach Adam Voges in his second year.

If this year's Ashes retention against England at Old Trafford in Manchester seems a little too recent to be the highlight of Josh Hazlewood's entire career - one that will reach 50 Tests in Adelaide against Pakistan this week - then there is some fundamental logic to the New South Welshman's choice.

To return home from the northern hemisphere with the urn in Australia's keeping for the first time since 2001 was not only the breaking of fresh ground for Hazlewood and the rest of the touring team, it was also an achievement that could be enjoyed all the more for the fact that the 28-year-old had seen plenty of difficult days and defeats that made it something more to savour.

ALSO READ: 'Cherry ripe' Hazlewood brings peak precision

For a young, tall fast bowler to whom, injuries aside, so much had come rapidly, here was a garland he had spent time chasing, to the point of struggling on one previous Ashes tour in 2015 when a team led by Michael Clarke had been widely expected to succeed. Test cricket, Hazlewood had long since learned, was far harder than he imagined as a teenager making his debut for NSW as a 17-year-old in 2008, or for Australia in an ODI two years later.

"Probably Manchester, not that long ago," Hazlewood said. "To retain the Ashes over there and be the person to get that last wicket. It was a pretty special moment. There are some good moments of the team celebrating. It's just a great memory.

"I didn't know it [Test cricket] was going to be this hard. You learn patience. You bowl in the nets all the time and you try and take two or three wickets and you're only bowling for half an hour. Things like that you try a lot of things. Once you get into Test cricket it's about building that pressure and patience and working on it all day. And a side is never going to roll over I think. That's a big one. That patience stands out for me."

There is something fitting, too, about Hazlewood's 50th Test arriving in Adelaide, a venue where he has plucked 22 wickets at 20.22 and a strike rate of 44.5 in four matches (as against a career average of 26.3 and strike rate of 56.7) and has little hesitation in labelling the best all-round pitch in the country. "I love Adelaide the most I think," he said. "I have had good success there. Often it is a pink-ball game now. But we played red ball last year and it still did a bit for most the game.

"It keeps you a little bit interested when the ball is a bit older and the wicket is a bit flatter, there is still a little bit there for you throughout the day. And it is a new-ball wicket, so I think it's an even contest between bat and ball. I think everyone would have their own favourites, but I think that is one that sticks out. I think Nath [Lyon] loves bowling there as well, there is spin there for most of the game. I think it's just a great all-round wicket to be honest.

"I think pink ball in Adelaide is a pretty similar length to red ball [in Brisbane]. You want to get it up there, you want to get it quite full. The pink ball does swing for probably a bit longer and if you've got a new one at night we know what can happen. I'm looking forward to getting it back in the hand, it's been quite a while. I missed the one last year against Sri Lanka [at the Gabba], so I am looking forward to getting back bowling with the pink one."

Knowing what to expect and how to respond, namely by applying relentless pressure to opponents, has always been a part of Hazlewood's game, but there is a sense among the bowlers who toured England that they are growing in their proficiency at doing so.

Noting the evolution of the game towards ever more aggression and short-form hitting, Hazlewood believed the reward for the build-up of pressure through diligence and control - plus natural bounce and a little movement either way - is growing all the time. Having not conceded more than three runs per over in any Test series since March 2016, Hazlewood is reaping the rewards.

"As cricket goes on more players are limited-overs players and they play more of that. And the guys want to play their shots," Hazlewood said. "With that strangling, if you can do it for long enough you get rash shots as we saw in the first innings. It's building that pressure and strangle we talked about, and I think moving forward it's a big thing for us.

"We didn't strangle them like we did the first innings [at the end of the Gabba Test]. We had a few more runs to play with and we probably over-attacked at certain stages and they got away with us in that middle session. I think the best thing was we had the best part of two days off between innings. The boys batted phenomenally this Test. We had our feet up for a long period and we could come out fresh last night and today. You're feeling very fresh. That is probably the one thing that stands out for this Test."

That freshness should ensure that Hazlewood is joined by Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon in Adelaide, with James Pattinson set to return to the squad but not yet the XI - keeping the "big three" fast men together is certainly to their liking. "I think it's huge. We know everything about each other basically," Hazlewood said. "But on the field you know when guys are going well and when they might need to slow it down and have a word with them.

"I talk to Nath a lot, I field at mid-off for him a lot and we talk a lot about how things are going and we talk a lot about how things are going, if we're not bowling the right areas or getting the wickets, and what can we try here. It's huge I think. The same as batters batting together. We've all played together now for a long time. And we all know what needs to be said at different times to different people. That balance and that partnership is huge.

"Being a fast-bowler you can never look too far ahead. It's quite tough the summer in Australia with the wickets seeming a lot harder than England and places like that. They do take their toll. But ideally you want to keep the same bowling group together, the same as the top six. Guys get confidence, they relax when they know they are not on their last chance. We're no different."

As for Pakistan, the advantages Hazlewood enjoys in Adelaide will be available to the visiting seam bowlers also, including the potentially recalled Mohammad Abbas. The chance for the pink ball to wobble around in his and other visiting hands will be another reminder of why Hazlewood knows how hard Test cricket can be, and why Old Trafford will linger in his memory.

"I think the Adelaide wicket and pink ball will suit them. A lot of them have nice wrists and present a nice seam," he said of Pakistan. "So I think they will be able to swing it around. Whether Abbas comes in or not is up to them obviously. I think they have got a number of guys who can bowl well with the new ball. I think it will be hard work, especially when it's new. But throughout the whole Test I think it will be hard work."