‘Want him playing every Test’: Boland stuns after ‘embarrassing’ teammates
Scott Boland is once again the toast of Australian cricket after a phenomenal return to the Test team in Gqeberha.
The 37-year-old was recalled at the expense of veteran spin bowler Nathan Lyon and while his inclusion actually made the average age of the team drop, he became the oldest specialist fast bowler to start a Test for Australia in 60 years.
Scott Boland celebrates after taking the wicket of South Africa’s David Bedingham. AP Photo/Themba Hadebe
Lyon’s axing was another bold call by selectors George Bailey, Andrew McDonald and Tony Dodemaide. The decision was based off conditions, with curators producing a green deck in Gqeberha, the second Test venue. It’s the first time since 2013 Lyon has been left out of the team for a red-ball match when fit to play.
Australia’s opening quicks struggled to make inroads after Pat Cummins had won the toss and sent South Africa in to bat as bad weather delayed play.
Enter Boland, who bowled a maiden with his first over, and then with his 11th and 12th deliveries dismissed both Aiden Markram and David Bedingham.
The right-arm Victorian paceman bowled 3.2 overs before the rain set in, and has 2-5 heading into day two.
His Test bowling average has dropped from 18.6 to 18.2 following the heroics. Since World War I, Boland has the best Test bowling average and strike rate. His average is currently the 10th best in Test cricket history.
Gqeberha is his 20th match in the baggy green.
“We thought the bubble must burst at some point for Boland’s numbers. They’re not gonna,” respected cricket pundit Adam Collins said on The Final Word podcast following play.
“This is his 20th Test match, the sample size is getting bulkier and bulkier.”
Boland burst onto the international scene when he took 7-6 against England on Test debut at the MCG in December 2021.
He has now taken 84 wickets in 19 and a bit matches, but remains stuck behind Australia’s first-choice attack of Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc.
He forced selectors to pick him in South Africa after “embarrassing all the Aussie batters” during training sessions, according to respected journalist Bharat Sundaresan.
“You just knew, whatever play we got, the Scott Boland show was still going to happen,” Sundaresan said on SEN after play.
“You want more of Scott Boland in your life, you want him playing every Test match. The Australian captain and selectors want that as well.
“But it just hasn’t worked out that way because of the world-class, hall of fame bowling attack he is a part of.”
Boland rewarded his captain Cummins and the selectors early at St George’s Park by narrowly missing a hat-trick during the start of Australia and South Africa’s second Test.
Australia’s Scott Boland, right celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of South Africa’s David Bedingham. AP Photo/Themba Hadebe
Overcast conditions and rain meant Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl with his all-seam attack.
For South Africa, there were also changes with Keshav Maharaj left out for Kagiso Rabada. Marques Ackerman was also named for a debut with Matthew Breetzke coming in too. Kyle Verryenne and Tristan Stubbs were dropped following the first Test loss.
Play didn’t start until midday local time due to the rain with 5.3 overs bowled before the heavens opened up again.
Starc struggled with the footholds from the start of the innings and went to around the wicket early.
Ackerman didn’t get off the mark until after 15 balls and his maiden run was nervy after a stop-start moment with Aiden Markram. The debutant did manage to get home safely as his family clapped in the crowd.
The umpires opted to take an early lunch due to the rain with play returning at 1.20pm local time.
Hazlewood bowled his three deliveries before Boland started at the other end.
Boland bowled Markram through the gate for 11 before Bedingham played at a delivery he didn’t have to and nicked off.
“Heck of a bowler, heck of a record, and he can’t regularly get in the team,” caller Mark Nicholas said of Boland on Super Sport.
The hat-trick ball was for Temba Bavuma who was hit on the pads, bringing about a big shout. However, the ball had hit his bat first and the skipper survived.
Bavuma moved to 4 not out and Ackerman had 5 before rain stopped play again with South Africa at 2-20.
