‘Ready, relentless and super fit’: Scott Boland is India’s MCG nightmare

Josh Hazlewood’s misfortune is Scott Boland’s good fortune – and it’s likely to force Australia into a potentially series-winning move they may not have otherwise dared to make.

When Hazlewood is fit and available, his record demands selection. Even last week, when he was coming off an injury, selectors could not resist the temptation of picking a high-class paceman who is likely to become a future Hall of Famer of Australian cricket.

Scott Boland had an extraordinary Test debut in the Boxing Day match against England.Credit: The Age

But Hazlewood’s latest injury has spared a data-minded selection panel of having to make the agonising call between an all-time star who has the double whammy of becoming less effective later in series and would be playing at his least preferred venue in the country, over a less decorated though highly accomplished seamer who thrives at his home ground.

Selectors will name a replacement in the squad for Hazlewood though any discussion as to who takes his position in the XI should not be long.

Ordinarily, Hazlewood’s absence would be characterised as a blow for Australia but, in Boland, selection chair George Bailey has a ready-made replacement who in any other era would likely have played many more than 11 Tests.

Boland loves the MCG as much as the locals love him. The Victorian became a cult hero three years ago when he famously claimed 6-7 on debut in the Boxing Day Test as Australia retained the Ashes.

His Test record of 10 wickets at 13.8 in Melbourne is skewed by that memorable performance, though his overall stats at the MCG of 117 at 24 is reflective of a quick who is tailor-made to bowl at the venue. Hazlewood’s 16 victims at 39.62 from seven matches at the MCG is comfortably his worst at any Test ground in Australia.

“I think he [Boland] knows the conditions inside and out,” his state coach and former Test opener Chris Rogers said.

“The interesting thing is knowing the length to keep the top of the stumps at play. It feels like it suits him. His natural length seems to be perfect to hit the top of off and that makes it really difficult for batters. They get caught on the crease, it’s hard to drive and play off the back foot.

“The MCG is interesting because it can have tennis ball bounce. It can jump a little bit. To get it up there with a bit of sideway movement seems to suit him quite a lot.”

Scott Boland celebrates the wicket of Jonny Bairstow during his man of the match performance at the MCG in 2021.Credit: Chris Hopkins

Just as the likes of Jamie Siddons, Stuart Law and Darren Lehmann were unfortunate to be batters born in the wrong era, Boland is the modern version for bowlers. His only sin is being in the same generation as Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Hazlewood – all in Australia’s top 10 Test wicket-takers.

In any other period, it’s not hard to see him having a record like Damien Fleming, Paul Reiffel or Michael Kasprowicz, all 20-plus Test quicks who did not have to compete their whole career against three all-time pace greats at their peak for a spot.

Players typically get opportunities through a combination of three ways: by breaking the door down through performance, the loss of form of an incumbent or in the event of injury. All of Boland’s Test appearances have come through the latter scenario.

There is evidence to support those who want to prosecute the case Boland should play more prominent role rather than be merely an understudy.

His average of 20.42 (40 wickets) is superior to that of Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood in the same period, albeit from a smaller sample size. Australia have won eight of the nine home Tests he has played, the only blemish coming in the Sydney Test of the 2021-22 Ashes when England scraped home for a draw nine down.

He also provides variety to the pace attack through the fuller length he bowls, and his capacity to move the ball back into the right-hander.

“He’s very different to a lot of other bowlers,” former Test spinner Bryce McGain, who commentates on a lot of Victoria’s games at the MCG, said. “A lot are move the ball away, seam away, he’s more in, but he’s so good at taking the ball away as well.

“He’s a completely different proposition to the whole attack. Against left-handers, he’s a nightmare. He can go around the wicket. He’s exceptional, he doesn’t let up. For a lot of Shield batsmen, it’s overwhelming. He gives nothing.

“He could still get the ball to move on a dead wicket. He’s just got the formula right. He’s not half-volley, he hits top of the stumps regularly, but often he’s fuller than that when he goes for a wicket-taking ball.

“It’s a pretty amazing his record. It’s staggering. He’s always prepared, he’s always ready, relentless and super fit.”

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