Josh Hazlewood has entered an elite group in Australian cricket after becoming only the ninth Australian bowler to take 300 Test wickets.
The veteran fast bowler reached the landmark during Australia's first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin, producing a superb bowling performance as the hosts fought to stay alive in the match.
Hazlewood's achievement also created a remarkable piece of Test history, with Australia now boasting four bowlers who have taken at least 300 Test wickets in the same attack.
Hazlewood Reaches 300 Test Wickets
Hazlewood began the Test just five wickets short of the landmark, having played only six of Australia's previous 14 Tests.
Injuries had kept the 35-year-old out of Test cricket for much of the previous year, and there had been some debate over whether he or Scott Boland would take the final fast-bowling spot in Australia's XI.
Hazlewood answered that question emphatically.
He claimed his 14th five-wicket haul in Test cricket and finished with six wickets, taking his career tally beyond the 300 mark.
His fifth wicket of the match came when Mehidy Hasan Miraz edged behind while attempting to drive, giving Hazlewood the milestone in his 26th over of the innings.
He later completed his six-wicket haul by dismissing Ebadot Hossain to bring Bangladesh's innings to an end.
Only Eight Australians Had Done It Before
Hazlewood is now part of an exclusive list of Australian Test bowlers.
Only eight Australians had previously reached 300 Test wickets, with Hazlewood joining some of the greatest bowlers in the country's history.
The list includes Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Glenn McGrath, Dennis Lillee and other Australian greats.
Remarkably, Hazlewood is also the fourth member of Australia's current Test attack to reach the milestone.
Lyon, Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood have all taken 300 or more Test wickets.
That makes Australia the first team in Test history to field a bowling attack in which all four members have already passed the 300-wicket mark.
Hazlewood Among Australia's Best
Reaching 300 wickets is impressive enough, but Hazlewood's numbers become even more remarkable when his average is considered.
Among Australia's nine bowlers to reach 300 Test wickets, only three have achieved the milestone at a better bowling average.
Glenn McGrath leads the group with an average of 21.64, followed by Pat Cummins at 22.21 and Dennis Lillee at 23.92.
Hazlewood's average stands at 24.02.
That places him comfortably among Australia's most effective Test bowlers.
A Difficult Road Back
The milestone is particularly significant given Hazlewood's recent struggles with fitness.
He had played only six of Australia's previous 14 Tests and had not appeared in Test cricket for 12 months before the Bangladesh series.
His selection for the Darwin Test was therefore not guaranteed.
Scott Boland was also in contention, but Hazlewood's experience and quality ultimately earned him the nod.
The decision proved to be an excellent one.
On a good batting surface where Australia's other bowlers struggled for consistency, Hazlewood repeatedly produced the deliveries needed to break Bangladesh's resistance.
Hazlewood Makes the Difference in Darwin
Hazlewood had an eventful start to the match.
He could have had an early wicket when Nathan Lyon dropped a catch in his opening over on Day 1. Tanzid Hasan was the beneficiary and went on to score a brilliant 101.
Hazlewood eventually broke the partnership between Tanzid and Mominul Haque, dismissing Mominul for 49.
He then returned with the second new ball and produced one of the deliveries of the match to remove Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto for 84.
As Bangladesh's lower order continued to frustrate Australia, Hazlewood remained a constant threat.
He eventually removed Hasan Mahmud lbw before dismissing Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
His final wicket came when Ebadot Hossain edged behind, completing his sixth five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
'You Don't Really Think About Those Sort of Milestones'
Hazlewood admitted that reaching 300 wickets was not something he had spent much time thinking about during his career.
"You don't really think about those sort of milestones when you're playing," Hazlewood said after reaching the landmark.
He also acknowledged the significance of seeing his name alongside some of Australia's greatest bowlers.
"And I'm playing with three of them, so yeah, it's pretty cool."
That final point makes Hazlewood's achievement particularly remarkable.
He is not simply joining an historic group — he is sharing an attack with three other members of it.
A Historic Australian Pace Attack
Australia's current bowling attack is now firmly part of Test history.
Hazlewood, Cummins and Starc form one of the most experienced fast-bowling combinations in international cricket, while Lyon provides the experience and threat of a world-class spinner.
All four have now crossed 300 Test wickets.
It is an extraordinary level of longevity and consistency from one generation of Australian bowlers.
For Hazlewood, however, the immediate focus will remain on helping Australia recover from a difficult start against Bangladesh.
His six-wicket haul has given the hosts a chance to fight back.
The 300-wicket milestone may be the headline achievement, but Hazlewood will be hoping his contribution ultimately becomes part of an Australian victory in Darwin.
