Hazlewood upstaged on country return

Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood turned out his for first game with his grassroots country club side in 12 years on Saturday, and while the veteran of 44 Test matches was the star attraction in Tamworth he was thoroughly overshadowed by his elder brother Aaron.

Some 18 months older than his internationally celebrated brother, Old Boys opening bowler Aaron Hazlewood blitzed the City United opposition to the tune of a career-best haul of 9-18 in 20.4 overs.

The City United side might have feared the worst when they learned Josh Hazlewood was returning to Tamworth for his first game, but the international quick is sidelined from bowling as he recuperates from a back injury that kept him out of the Test series against Sri Lanka.

Hazlewood, who was born and raised in nearby Bendemeer and is pictured above with his family at his Test debut at the Gabba in 2014, was playing as a batsman only in this match, and spent much of the innings fielding in the slips where he took three catches off his big brother's bowling.

Batting at No.4, he finished the day unbeaten on 31, ensuring a bumper crowd back at the No.1 Oval next Saturday. The Old Boys reached stumps at 3-107, already a healthy lead with City United all out for 68.

The career-best haul for Hazlewood gave him bragging rights over his more famous brother, who's best at any level is the 7-36 he took against South Australia in a domestic one-day game for NSW in 2014. His best at Test level is six wickets in an innings, which he has done twice.

"I've had a couple of eights before, but not a nine," Aaron Hazlewood told cricket.com.au of his career-best haul.

"I reckon I had the 10th too, got him lbw but it wasn't given."

Hazlewood had quickly rattled through the top order to leave City United 3-8, but Troy Hearfield proved difficult to dislodge. He survived Hazlewood's strong shout for LBW before being bowled by James Austin.

"I didn't really think too much about it at the time, it was only late in the innings when I thought 'Oh, I could have had all 10'," Hazlewood said.

Three times the scorecard read 'caught Hazlewood, bowled Hazlewood'.

"It was really one of the great days though. I've not played with my brother for 12 years so it was great, really special," said Aaron.

"He (Josh) took three nice catches in the slips off me, a couple of low ones and the last was a very nice catch, diving to his right to take it low."

It added to the air of celebration at Tamworth's No.1 Oval, with a crowd of more than 200 some 10 times bigger than a regular Saturday afternoon encounter in the Tamworth District Cricket Association might attract.

"We've never had a crowd like it for a Saturday arvo game," said the elder Hazlewood.

A banner welcoming back the 'Bendemeer Bullet' was draped over the picket fence and camp chairs and picnics ringed the ground, with Trevor and Anne Hazlewood proudly watching on from their shady seats as their sons were in action.

Hazlewood is spending the week back in his home town, guest of honour at nearby Gunnedah to open some new nets, and reconnecting with the community where he made his first-grade debut as a 13-year-old.