Have Australia dropped a big hint that Scott Boland won’t be picked for the first Ashes Test?
Has Australia dropped a big hint that Scott Boland will NOT be picked for the first Ashes clash despite his stellar form in the World Test Championship?
- Boland took 6/7 against England on his debut
- Claimed seven wickets in the WTC final
- Might still miss the opening of Ashes Test
Aussies hope to see in-form bowler Scott Boland thunder against England in the first Test of The Ashes tonight [AEST] could be disappointed, with early signs indicating he will be the pace bowler to miss.
Australia face a selection dilemma for the opening test at Edgbaston, with Pat Cummins certain to play with all-rounder Cameron Green, leaving just two places for Boland, Mitch Starc and the returning Josh Hazlewood.
It has now been reported that Boland has been relegated to drinks duty in final preparations with Hazlewood poised to make his return after a lengthy injury layoff from cricket.
More discussions between Pat Cummins and coach Andrew McDonald on a day when Scott Boland walked around the nets handing out water bottles to the coaching staff and walking off in the company of the physio. Intrigue, even more intrigue,” Cricbuzz said on Twitter.
Boland and Steve Smith, who is under an injury cloud, watch the final preparations for the first Ashes test against England in Edbaston
Boland and Nathan Lyon with their winners’ medals after Australia defeated India in the World Test Championship. Boland replaced the recovering Hazlewood in that match
Despite taking 6/7 on debut and a further seven wickets in the WTC final, Boland could miss the opening match Ashes to allow for Hazlewood’s return.
Cummins recently described Boland as ‘my favorite player’ and pundits predict it’s just a matter of when, not if, he gets picked during this Ashes series.
“He offers something different than Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc is a southpaw, something different,” Cummins said.
The Victorian Sheffield Shield veteran came on the scene during the Boxing Day Test in Australia’s 2021/22 edition of The Ashes, destroying the old foe by figures of 6/7.
He boasts an average of just 14.57 and an economy of 2.31, plus he was in the World Test Championship final against India, taking 2/59 and 3/46 in place of the injured Hazlewood.
Former test skipper Steve Waugh has also backed Boland to dominate in this Ashes series.
Boland is a great Test match bowler. He can be the most successful of our offense in this Ashes series,” Waugh said.
“I just love the way he bowls. He’s always on the batsman’s side and hits the pitch really hard.’
It’s been a long six months for Hazlewood who suffered an Achilles tendon injury and then a lateral strain kept him out of the WTC finals
Hazlewood has returned to bowling in the nets and is expected to make his highly anticipated Test cricket return in the first Ashes Test
Hazlewood had admitted he would be disappointed if he was excluded from the first Ashes Test.
Recovering from a side strain that has kept him out since the Sydney Test earlier this year, Hazlewood also admitted he was likely to only play in three or four of the five Tests.
Boland continues to push for selection, even if it is not the first Test.
“It’s my job to keep performing, to make the work of the selectors difficult,” said Boland. ‘
I like my time on the team. I know I’m going to play during the Ashes at some point, if it’s not the first Test then it’s not the first Test.’