Scott Boland in sad Boxing Day development as Aussie bowlers shine in first Test
The Aussie quick famously took 6-7 in the Boxing Day Ashes Test against England in 2021.
Scott Boland's hopes of another MCG masterclass in the Boxing Day Test appear to be slim after Australia's fast bowlers barely raised a sweat in a crushing victory over Pakistan in Perth. The Aussies head to the MCG 1-0 up in the three-Test series against Pakistan after a commanding 360-run victory over the tourists at Optus Stadium.
Veteran spinner Nathan Lyon grabbed most of the headlines on Sunday after becoming just the third Australian bowler after Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath to take 500 Test wickets. Lyon claimed match figures of 5-80 in a brilliant return to the Test cricket arena after a calf injury suffered in this year's Ashes series, while fast bowling contingent Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood all chimed in with wickets in the second innings to complete a big victory.
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None of the three quicks had to bowl more than nine overs as the match finished inside four days. It's hardly the sort of workload that would force Aussie selectors into resting any of the quicks for the second Test that gets underway at the MCG in eight days.
That spells bad news for Boland and cricket fans in his home state of Victoria, where the 34-year-old is revered as a cult hero. Boland has taken 35 wickets at a remarkable average of 20.3 across 10 Tests, with two of those coming on his home wicket in Melbourne.
Boland wrote his name into cricketing folklore during the 2021/22 Ashes series when he famously took 6-7 in the second innings against England to help his side retain the famous urn. Any hopes of seeing Boland return to Australia's side for the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan this year appear to be very slim, and more than likely dependent on injuries or tightness for the other three quicks.
Australia's captain Cummins suggested as much after his side's big victory in the first Test. "I don't think injuries are going to be an issue, so I dare say it will be a pretty similar line-up at this stage," Cummins said of the XI who will play in the Boxing Day Test. I think all the bowlers are pretty fresh after (the win in Perth). It's basically the ideal start to the summer."
Pakistan suffer worrying batting collapse
While it's all rosy in the Australian camp, the Pakistanis must be concerned about the way the side fell apart on day four, having batted with patience and purpose in their first innings. Saud Shakeel's 24 runs was alarmingly the top score for the tourists as eight batters ended up with single figures in a shocking second innings that saw them bowled out for just 89, having made 271 in their first dig.
Cummins admitted that the way the tourists crumbled on day four at Optus Stadium could have a lingering psychological impact on the rest of their series. "We know from travelling overseas, if you go to foreign conditions and if you're a batter and you don't score runs, you start questioning things," Cummins said.
"As a bowler if you haven't had a huge impact, you start looking at your own game perhaps a bit more than you do at home. We love these conditions. We know these conditions really well. I think that's what makes playing and winning away from home so difficult. I know we will have a pretty stress free week going into Boxing Day. I think everyone's in a really good place."
The Pakistanis will have a chance to iron out some kinks in their game during a two-day tour match against Victoria at the Junction Oval, starting on Friday. As well as providing Pakistan's batters with some much needed time out in the middle, it will also offer Victoria batter Marcus Harris another chance to push his case to be David Warner's successor as opener, when the 37-year-old retires from Test cricket after this series.
with AAP
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