Here is a question that is part of many cricketing discussions. What makes a good Test-match quick bowler? Waspish pace and finding nifty movement? Or perhaps, it is about pounding the deck hard in order to keep the batter on the back foot? Fitness and effort have to be a part of a fast bowler’s quiver as well. There is one more non-negotiable jigsaw piece, which needs to be fitted to complete the puzzle: Control, or the ability to hit a similar line and length time and again. Scott Boland, who has plied his trade for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield for more than a decade, has some of the above-mentioned skills required to succeed at the highest level, and more importantly, he has the control to execute his plans.
For a moment, pore through some of the archival videos of Boland’s first-class career, and you will get to see a bowler who is a thoroughbred at the art of repetition. October 30 to November 2, 2020 – South Australia took on Victoria at the Adelaide Oval. Having gained a massive first-innings lead of 364, Victoria held all the aces, but by day 3, the track had flattened out a tad. For Victoria, Boland was the one who put his hand up to bowl long and incisive spells.
Conor McInerney was the first of his victims, with the ball nipping back enough from outside off to shatter the timber. Boland then reserved his best for the No.3 batter, Barry Davis. He pitched it on a good length, and forced Davis to edge one to the cordon. If the video is paused right at the moment when Davis is about to nick the ball, it can be observed that he is caught on the crease and the bat is positioned just around off stump. In other words, Boland didn’t just find nip but he located the perfect line and length. And in an imaginary world, if Davis had not made the connection, it would have grazed the top of off.
He bowled another peach in that innings. In the 139th over, from round the wicket, Boland angled one back, and it held its line to open up the left-handed Liam Scott on the defence and whip the bails off. Here, it has to be observed that Boland also has the ability to tilt his wrist ever so slightly to extract a hint of movement away from the batter. Although South Australia were able to salvage a draw, Boland had yet again showcased his indefatigable stamina and control, as he finished with figures of 6 for 61 from 33 overs.
Just over a year later, Boland was donning the white flannels against England, at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). At that time, Boland had played 14 ODIs for Australia, picking up 16 wickets at an average of more than 45. Not exactly earth-shattering figures, but his first-class record and some of those YouTube clips indicated that the longest format was his forte. And in his maiden Test itself, Boland’s name was etched in Ashes folklore.
In the second innings, he dismantled England with eye-rubbing figures of 6 for 7 from four overs. It is true that the track had a considerable amount of grass on it, but it was yet again Boland’s ability to find just enough movement off the seam and his unrelenting accuracy that led to England’s downfall. Incidentally, right through that series, he consistently troubled Joe Root, the England captain and fulcrum. Just sift through Root’s dismissals in the series, and you would observe old-fashioned virtues: Root was caught in the slip cordon thrice, and castled once.
After that great start, Boland has gone on to play a few more Tests and his record currently shows 28 wickets at an average of 13.42 and economy rate of 2.18. Although Boland has registered outstanding numbers so far, there are perhaps a few chinks in his armour. When he came to India, he looked quite pedestrian in the Nagpur Test, where he went wicketless. Although his economy rate was an impressive 2.00, it was clear that he found little swing with the old ball. However, at The Oval, where the World Test Championship final against India will be played, conditions might turn out to be a touch different. At least on the first couple of days, there should be enough assistance for the pacemen. In that backdrop, Boland could be a handful.
When Boland ran through the cream of England’s batting at the MCG, there was a frenzied atmosphere inside the stadium. So much so that it felt as if the moustachioed Merv Hughes, one of Victorian cricket’s favourite sons, was bustling to the crease or standing at fine leg. As Boland later said: “I have never had a crowd behind me like that. I tried to soak it up when I was down at fine-leg.”
With Boland now certain to be selected ahead of Michael Neser for the WTC final, the majority of the crowd might end up supporting the opponent. But you expect the quiet and unassuming Boland to stick to his tried-and tested-strengths: Line and length, and a modicum of movement to trouble both edges of the bat. Simply put, it is the Boland way of doing things.