Late bloomers draw on youth for Ashes
Australia's injury-hit Test squad has opened the door for a group of 30-something cricketers to seize their moment against England in Perth.
Who said an international cricketer’s life doesn’t begin at 30?
As Australia prepares for the oldest rivalry in Test cricket to begin in Perth on Friday, 36-year-old Scott Boland will lead an injury-gutted fast-bowling line-up, 30-somethings Brendan Doggett and Jake Weatherald are hoping to get their first Baggy Green and 31-year-old Beau Webster, who only made his debut a year ago, is hoping to hold his spot in the team.
While their cricket days extend back to their youth, all four have taken their time to reach Test level.
Boland is adamant he has a point to prove only to himself as he seeks redemption for a disappointing 2023 Ashes series. Thrust into the role of being Australia’s most senior right-arm quick following injuries to Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, Boland insists the larger grounds in Australia compared with England will make the Victorian tougher to tame this time around after Bazball got the better of him in the sides’ most recent duel.
Having exploded onto the scene in the 2021-22 home Ashes, Boland took just two wickets at 115.50 against England in the return bout, and was left out for the final two Tests of the series. Speaking at Optus Stadium before the Aussies’ first pre-Test training session on Monday, Boland said he had been “looking forward to this series for a long time”. But despite the chance to show up the doubters, Boland said his motivation for this series was internally driven. Asked specifically whether he had a “point to prove” following the ‘23 tussle, he said: “only to myself”.
Though there has been no confirmation yet, Boland and Mitchell Starc will almost certainly be joined in the XI for by Doggett, who like Boland is Indigenous.
Doggett is already versed in the rivalry. The bowler lifted the lid on an “awkward” early interaction with Ben Stokes ahead of the pair’s impending clash in Perth.
Doggett was on the same team as the England captain this year during a county cricket stint with Durham. “I remember feeling a bit awkward, because I actually was using an Australian backpack at the time … I think the joke was just to leaveme in this Australian one … the green and gold stands out over there. So, yeah, that was a little bit awkward.”
Webster concedes he would be disappointed to be dropped from the Test side but continues to prepare to play in the Ashes opener as Australian selectors kept their prospective debutants waiting on their fates.
And the wait could drag on even longer for opener Weatherald, still seemingly in a two-horse race with Webster for one spot in the line-up.
Should Weatherald be picked, he would partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order, allowing Marnus Labuschagne to bat in his favoured No. 3 position. That would push Cameron Green to No. 6 and Webster out of the XI.
The Tasmanian all-rounder has done little wrong since making his debut at the start of the year but accepted he was a chance to make way. “Obviously I’d be disappointed, I certainly want to play,” Webster said. “But at the same time, it is what it is.”
Weatherald was expecting the decision to be left late. “I think it’s going to be a pretty last minute thing … obviously, look at the wicket and stuff like that,” he said.
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