Allan Border declares Scott Boland must be the first man picked in the Australian attack for the first test

The Bazball revolution is in full swing. Who can derail England’s blistering style of cricket? Allan Border gives an insight into why Scott Boland must play in the first test.

Allan Border has declared Australia’s “new Terry Alderman’’ Scott Boland must play in Friday’s first Ashes Test as the man most likely to derail the Bazball revolution.

Pin point seamer Boland has taken a staggering 33 wickets at 14.47 in eight Tests including a decisive 5-105 against India in Australia’s just completed World Test Championship final victory at The Oval.

Even before that match Test great Border declared Boland reminded him of mesmeric swing bowler Alderman who took a staggering 83 Test wickets on two Ashes tours in the 1980s.

Border is more convinced than ever the 34-year-old will be a major Ashes force after watching Boland’s impressive performance against India.

Border believes Boland must now be acknowledged as a front-liner not a fill-in and Australia should resist the temptation to recall the more experienced Josh Hazlewood for the Edgbaston Test.

Hazlewood has just recovered from injury but has played no more than one Test in five of his last six series.

“Boland has to stay,’’ Fox Cricket’s Border told News Corp.

Scott Boland has made a strong case to play in the first Ashes Test. Picture: AFP Images

“He was threatening all the time against India. It was just so like Terry Alderman and Terry was just phenomenal in England. They are both the perfect pace for English conditions in the way they kiss the wicket.

“Boland’s style of bowling and his general accuracy makes him the prototype English bowler. In those conditions Boland is just about first picked. They have to keep the same team that beat India.

“Because Boland has bowled on flat tracks in Australia, particularly the MCG, I feel he is ready made for England. He just doesn’t put a foot wrong when he plays.

“If they start playing Bazball, his style of bowling will be very hard to get on top of. Someone like Mitchell Starc could get 6-30 or 0-130 because he is a more aggressive bowler.

“Hazlewood has not played much and when he has played he has broken down a fair bit. The thing that worries me is that Josh won’t have a preparation.

“There’s no matches to find out how he is really travelling. If you brought Josh back you would have your heart in your mouth he was going to get through.’’

The cricket world is luxuriating in the prospect of Australia’s world class attack confronting England’s cavalier Bazball batting style which has rocked the cricket world.

Border believes Bazball may be hard to sustain but will create problems when it clicks.

“I still think against a decent bowling attack over two innings it will be hard to sustain. But I know from playing Ian Botham what impact something like that can have,” he said.

“Your line and length and your general strategies can all get put under so much pressure. I hope they have a crack at it because I can see some pretty exciting cricket come up.

“If they have the guts to stick with it England may win a series 3-2. You just sense they will come a gutser twice. But they will still be able to win Tests when it comes off.’’