NewsBoland: Scott Boland admits he noticed Michael Atherton’s recent column, yet the fast-bowler insists the words will not shape his summer.
Fresh from match figures of 8 for 126 in Victoria’s tense Sheffield Shield win over New South Wales at the Junction Oval, the 35-year-old met reporters with a grin. Asked whether Atherton’s claim that he “holds no fear” for England’s batters had touched a nerve, Boland replied, “I saw it. My cousin sent it to me. He [Boland’s cousin] was taking the piss,” before adding that he expects “so much banter between the former players” in the build-up to the Ashes.
Pressed on motivation, his answer was blunt. “Not really,” he said. “I’ve got my own internal motivations for what I want to do for the summer. I’ve never gone into a game where I’m just middling along… There’s so many good fast bowlers in Australia that you just don’t want to give anyone an inch.”
That pragmatic approach has served him well. Though often spoken of as an outsider, Boland is the man in possession after claiming a Test hat-trick in Jamaica during Australia’s most recent outing. With Pat Cummins managing a back problem, the prospect of Boland sharing the new ball against England in Perth looks stronger by the week. Cummins himself admitted it is “less likely than likely” he will be ready.
Boland has not discussed the issue with his captain. “Patty’s so resilient,” he said. “He can play through a little bit of pain if he has some… If Pat happens to not play the first game, we’ve got a pretty handy in coming in at some stage during the summer.”
Body and mind appear in sync. A targeted block of gym work after the Caribbean tour means he is bowling without knee strapping for the first time in years. Former Victoria colleague and current Australia coach Andrew McDonald encouraged him to adjust his training to build durability as the overs pile up.
It seems to be working. Boland was sharp in Adelaide in the opening round of Shield fixtures and sharper still back in Melbourne, though he admitted there is more to come. “I just want to find my rhythm as quick as I can in the game. And sometimes it happens in half a spell. Sometimes it takes a bit longer,” he explained.
With the Ashes less than two months away, arguments over who can unsettle England will grow louder. Boland, typically, prefers to keep things simple: line, length and relentless pressure. Whether that is enough to change Atherton’s opinion remains to be seen, but the bowler is not losing sleep over it. He has other targets in mind, beginning with another Sheffield Shield outing next week.
