Boxing Day Test Australia v South Africa: Scott Boland gets nod over Josh Hazlewood in exclusive poll

We have a split decision after 13 former cricketing greats were asked who gets the nod between cult hero Scott Boland and world class Josh Hazlewood for the Melbourne Test. Have your say.

Four former national selectors with a combined pedigree of 337 Tests have called for cult hero Scott Boland to win one of the tightest selection calls in Australian cricket history.

News Corp has asked 13 former greats in an exclusive poll who they would pick on Boxing Day — MCG crowd favourite Boland, or the world class Josh Hazlewood, who is returning from injury.

The results are not unanimous, with greats like Mike Hussey, Stuart Clark and Michael Kasprowicz believing Hazlewood should be recalled in the interests of respecting a time-honoured pecking order.

But a majority of nine ex-players canvassed, including ex-Australian selectors Mark Waugh, Allan Border, Merv Hughes and Jamie Cox, all believe Boland should get the nod — adamant the nature of Hazlewood’s side strain injury is not worth the gamble when the Victorian is in such hot form.

“I would probably go safety first and pick Boland. When I was a selector we had a strength and conditioning guy and a physio and if they felt a player had even a minor problem we would go safety first,” Hughes told News Corp.

Cult hero Scott Boland took 6-7 on debut in last year’s Boxing Day Ashes Test.

“With Hazlewood being injured, if there was any doubt at all I would give Boland a start. Those side strains tend to linger.

“People will say that’s me pushing for a Victorian and Boland should play because it’s in Melbourne but I don’t see the home ground as being a big issue. If it was, Michael Neser would have played in Brisbane.”

Recent selector Waugh said in a tight call he would favour Boland because of his MCG record, taking 6-7 on debut in last year’s Boxing Day Ashes Test.

“Whoever misses out will be desperately unlucky,” Fox Cricket expert Waugh said.

“I’m going with Boland on his home track.”

Much has been made of Boland’s incredible MCG performance last year and his Test bowling average of 10.36, but from six Test matches, Hazlewood has taken more wickets than any other Australian bowler on the previously notoriously flat Melbourne pitch.

Hazlewood has taken 26 wickets at ‘The G’, compared to Pat Cummins with 24 wickets from five Tests.

Scott Boland celebrates after taking the wicket of South Africa's Marco Jansen in the first cricket Test.

But another former selector and master first-class run-scorer Cox, said on twitter Boland was the smart choice for a variety of reasons.

“Not to mention match fitness, home ground, winning form … Hazlewood can rest up for Sydney,” Cox wrote.

Border said side injuries affecting the “grunt muscle” are notoriously unpredictable and Boland has proven he’s a banker.

“I’d be going with Boland. I think there’s just too much of a question mark over Josh,” Fox Cricket leading voice Border said.

“There’s so much difference between doing a trial in the nets and what you say is going full bore in match conditions, it’s just totally chalk and cheese.

“And you’re not going to lose too much are you? Scotty Boland has been bowling well. It’s Melbourne.

“His heroics from last year. I just think it all points towards sticking with the bloke that’s fit and firing.”

Former greats reckon the nature of Josh Hazlewood’s side strain injury is not worth the gamble.

Other leading cricket minds Brad Haddin, Brendon Julian, Damien Fleming, Ryan Harris and Ian Healy also all feel Boland is the man.

Hazlewood said on Sunday he was back to bowling at 90 per cent, and on Thursday he upped the ante even further in his comeback bid, giving young Victorian batsman Ashley Chandrasinghe a comprehensive workout at the Junction Oval nets in Melbourne.

There is no reason why Hazlewood would not still be in selectors’ top three fast bowlers as he was to start the summer, and Hussey believes it’s important that faith is shown, as does Kasprowicz.

“Hazlewood is one of the best bowlers in the world,’’ Kasprowicz said.

“With his history, you have to pick him. The impact Scott Boland has made has been fantastic. But Josh has been doing it for a long time. Life is all about opportunity and Scott could not have done any more. But I would go for Hazlewood.’’

Former South African great Jonty Rhodes said from his viewpoint, Hazlewood deserved a recall.

“I like the idea of sticking with the pecking order and going for Hazlewood. He was there first for a reason,” Rhodes said.

“The key around selection is consistency. You are always going to have injuries with the bowlers so the pecking order is important. It’s great to have the depth Australia has. If you start messing with the precedent which says that injured players get their spots back it can create problems you don’t need.’’