Josh Hazlewood achieves a milestone in Australian Test cricket by claiming his 300th wicket, entering an exclusive group of bowlers.

In a significant achievement for Australian cricket, Josh Hazlewood reached the milestone of 300 Test wickets during the first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin on Saturday. This accomplishment places him among an elite group of bowlers, becoming the ninth Australian to achieve this feat. Hazlewood's performance also marked his 14th five-wicket haul in Test cricket, joining the ranks of notable players such as Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc.

With Hazlewood's latest achievement, Australia now boasts four active bowlers who have each taken over 300 wickets in Test matches, a unique situation not seen in any other Test team. The 34-year-old fast bowler has maintained an impressive career average of 24.02, placing him among the top performers in this exclusive club. Only three Australian bowlers have better averages: Glenn McGrath (21.64), Pat Cummins (22.21), and Dennis Lillee (23.92), according to statistics from Cricinfo.

Hazlewood's milestone was highlighted by a remarkable performance on the third day of the match, where he claimed all four wickets that fell after lunch, ultimately finishing with six wickets in Bangladesh's first innings. His 300th wicket came when he dismissed Ebadot Hossain, breaking Bangladesh's resistance and solidifying his status as one of Australia's premier fast bowlers.

Bangladesh, who had a commanding first-innings lead of 228 runs, were eventually bowled out for 426. The innings was anchored by a maiden Test century from Tanzid Hasan, with significant contributions from captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehidy Hasan, both of whom scored half-centuries. Mehidy’s resilience in the lower order was particularly noteworthy, as he batted for nearly 50 overs, helping to extend Bangladesh's advantage.

Earlier in the match, Hasan Mahmud's impressive bowling performance, where he took six wickets, had already put Bangladesh in a strong position. However, Australia’s fielding woes, including five dropped catches, allowed the visitors to accumulate crucial runs. Despite arriving in Darwin following a heavy defeat to a Cricket Australia XI, Bangladesh has positioned themselves favorably in this Test match, while Hazlewood's personal milestone further cements his legacy among Australia's finest fast bowlers.