Gqeberha, Oct 20 (IANS) Fast bowler Scott Boland wants to feature in every Test match that Australia play in the next 12 months as he keeps pushing his case with stellar performances whenever he gets the chances.
Boland, 37, is Australia’s oldest specialist Test pacer since Ray Lindwall in 1960. With Australia blessed with the likes of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and spin great Nathan Lyon, Boland has had to wait for his chances more often than not.
Since making a breathtaking debut in the 2021 Ashes, he has played only 19 Test matches for the Aussies. He carried the drinks in the first Test of the ongoing series against South Africa but was chosen over Lyon for the second Test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha with rain around.
He had an hour-long spell with the ball three days before the second Test as he looks to stay in rhythm for whenever he gets a chance. “I’m not like, 25 (years old), so I know that time’s probably running out a little bit,” Boland said after Day 2 of the second Test.
“But we’ve got so many Tests over the next 12 months that I knew I was going to play a part somewhere, so (I) back that preparation. I want to play every Test, but I probably know that’s not 100% realistic, so I just want to be ready for whenever I get an opportunity and then try to get back into the game straight away,” he added.
He has been the major difference between the two sides until the end of Day 2. With rain washing out more than 100 overs across the two days, Boland’s 4-31 has kept South Africa at 97/5 in the first innings and given Australia a chance to win the match.
He took two wickets on Day 1 when he made the ball talk with the scalps of Aiden Markram and David Bedingham on back-to-back balls. The speedster then got another couple on the second day as he removed debutant opener Marques Ackerman and wicketkeeper batter Ryan Rickelton.
“It probably felt like, from the end I started, (there) was probably a little bit less bounce. I felt like the stumps were really in the game,” Boland said. “My game-plan is pretty simple, I’m just trying to put the pressure on the batter as much as I can, get as many repeat balls in a good area, making them make tough decisions.”
South Africa batting coach Ashwell Prince heaped praise on Boland, saying that the Aussie speedster reminds him of Vernon Philander. “Scott reminds me a little bit of someone like Vernon Philander,” Prince said. “He doesn’t miss his spot often. And because of his height, slightly shorter, (but) not a lot shorter than the other guys, his balls are always in and around the top of the stump … against taller guys, you can leave a lot more balls on length.
“Because he’s hitting the top of the stumps, there’s always that uncertainty over whether it’s going over the top of the stumps and you can leave, or whether it’s hitting the top of the stumps, which means it drags you into playing at more balls. His record speaks for itself. I think the only thing that’s stopping him is that it’s quite hard for him to get in the line-up consistently,” he added.
–IANS
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