As the build-up begins for the highly anticipated Ashes series starting November 21 in Australia, pacer Scott Boland has dismissed any concern over England’s aggressive on-field behaviour, saying that Australia’s experienced lineup remains unaffected by sledging tactics. Australia’s seasoned speedster Scott Boland believes he is well-equipped for whatever England batters will throw at him this summer if he gets the opportunity to unleash his scintillating spells at them after being attacked relentlessly in the 2023 series.
Over the years, the Australian team has been known to fight back against their opponents when it comes to sledging and aggression. Although they have tempered that aggression somewhat under captain Pat Cummins, and attempted to tread a fine line. Scott Boland also said that the Australian team has been delivering consistent performances over the past few years and expressed confidence in having the likes of match-winning players in the side.
Australian pacer Scott Boland is ready for the Bazball challenge posed by England in the upcoming Ashes 2025-26
Scott Boland believes he’s better prepared for what England’s batters will throw at him this summer if he gets the chance to play in the Ashes after he was attacked relentlessly in his two Tests during the 2023 series in the UK.
In the last century, Scott Boland owns the lowest Test bowling average among anyone with more than 50 wickets in the format. Scott Boland blazed his way to a sizzling hat-trick against the West Indies in Jamaica, reducing his figure to 16.53, leaving him sixth in the all-time list. Before the pre-Bazball era, Scott Boland scalped 18 wickets at 9.55 in his debut Ashes series. After Brendon McCullum took charge, Scott Boland’s effectiveness dropped to two scalps in as many Tests at 115.50 in the 2023 edition of the rivalry.
Since his sensational Test debut in 2021, Scott Boland has emerged as one of the most effective bowlers in modern cricket. With 62 wickets in just 14 matches at a staggering average of 16.53, the best for any bowler in the last century with at least 50 wickets, Scott Boland has proven his ability to deliver under pressure. He recently etched his name in history with a Test hat-trick against West Indies in Kingston, becoming only the 10th Australian to do so.
Two years ago, when England and Australia last met in the Ashes, Scott Boland played just two of the five Tests and managed only two wickets. The 2-2 Ashes draw in England was dominated by three other Australian quicks – Mitchell Starc (23 wickets), Pat Cummins (18) and Josh Hazlewood (16). Since then, Boland has played four Tests and taken 27 wickets. Thinking back to those hard days in Birmingham and Leeds, when the returns didn’t match the effort, the 36-year-old believes his skills and self-belief have grown since.
With 100 days left for the Ashes to add another chapter in its rich history, Scott Boland acknowledged that he is unsure about the number of appearances awaiting him.In a scenario where Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are all fit, Scott Boland automatically falls down in the pecking order. However, the 36-year-old Scott Boland remains assured about being prepared for whatever approach England adopts against him.
“I’ve obviously thought about it a lot since it happened in 2023,” Boland said.
“But I still think there were times in England where I bowled pretty well and just didn’t get a wicket. I’m a better bowler than I was back then. I’m going to be in our conditions that I know really, really well. I’m hoping to put in some good performances.”
Despite his form, Scott Boland has often found himself on the sidelines due to Australia’s formidable pace trio, featuring captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood. The quartet played together in Jamaica, notably leaving out spinner Nathan Lyon for the first time in 12 years, a decision unlikely to be repeated on Australian pitches. Scott Boland hopes that such a thing repeats in the future, but understands the difficulty of it on home soil.
“I hope so, but probably not in Australia. With our wickets, generally, Nathan is one of the best spin bowlers in the world (and) thinks he can bowl in any conditions. He’s probably been the glue to our bowling line-up over the last few years. And then I probably see Greenie coming back and bowling a lot more … so that probably hurts the chances of four quicks as well,” he said.
Scott Boland has not bowled since the Jamaica Test and instead has been working diligently in the gym to avoid carrying any of the knee soreness he battled last summer into the Ashes. Boland said a discussion with Australia coach Andrew McDonald had led to a shift in his gym regime which he believes is paying dividends.
Scott Boland is unsure how many of the first four Sheffield Shield games he will play ahead of the first Test despite not being a guaranteed started in Perth with discussions ongoing between Cricket Australia’s high performance team and Cricket Victoria about his playing schedule.
The second round of the Shield sees a potential match-up between Boland and incumbent Test opener Sam Konstas as Victoria host New South Wales at Junction Oval on October 15, with Konstas fighting an uphill battle to retain his Test spot for the Ashes. Boland knocked over Konstas three times out of four meetings in Shield cricket last summer.
CA has been careful in managing the loads of Scott Boland and other back-up bowlers throughout the summer to keep them fresh in case they are required. But there is a danger of them not playing enough. In 2023-24, Scott Boland was Australia’s back-up quick for seven straight Tests but did not play a single game while last year he played three of the five Tests against India when Hazlewood got injured, just as he did in the 2021-22 Ashes.
The lengthy gaps between the first, second and third Tests, and bowler-friendly pitches may create a possibility where Australia’s big three can play all three without significant workload issues. But there are only four-day breaks between Adelaide and Melbourne then Melbourne into Sydney which is when Scott Boland will likely be required. Getting him enough cricket to that point will be a challenge if he is carried as the spare bowler in the squad and required to stay with the team in the case of concussion.
There are CA XI and Australia A matches against England Lions in Perth and Brisbane that run alongside the Test matches where there may be opportunities for him to get match overs in while remaining in the same city as the Test squad. But Victoria’s last Shield match before the BBL break is at the MCG from December 4-7 while the Brisbane Test is being played. There is no Shield cricket after that as the BBL begins on December 14. The much-anticipated Ashes will begin on November 21.
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