Boland still odd man out
Trip home on the cards
Friday, 8am AEST Christchurch
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Australian selectors are considering sending Scott Boland back to Melbourne to play in Victoria’s crucial final-round Sheffield Shield clash against Western Australia after naming an unchanged XI for what is the Aussies’ seventh and final Test of the season.
Aussie captain Pat Cummins confirmed on Thursday that his side would go in with the same team for the fourth consecutive Test.
It means Boland, who is Australia’s clear fourth pace seed, will miss out again when Australia looks to secure an outright series win at Hagley Oval in the second Test against New Zealand that begins on Friday.
It is customary to keep at least one additional batter and bowler with the squad in case a concussion substitute is needed, so Matt Renshaw is likely to remain in New Zealand for the duration of the Test. That leaves Boland and Michael Neser as the reserve quicks.
Though Boland is ahead of Neser in the selection pecking order, the fact Boland’s Vics remain in contention to qualify for the Shield final, unlike Neser’s Queensland, means the former is more likely to be released to play in the clash at Junction Oval that starts on Monday.
No call will be made until after the toss in Christchurch on Friday but Cummins said the move had been discussed.
“There was some talk of maybe sending Scotty back for Victoria but holding Nes back for Queensland just to annoy Marnus (Labuschagne),” Cummins said with tongue firmly in cheek in relation to the reason.”
The fact Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are set to play seven Tests inside three months is a remarkable feat and one Cummins said he had not expected.
“I think I said at the start off the summer I’d be surprised if we played all seven just because it’s rare that something doesn’t pop up,” Cummins said.
“But thankfully we’ve all kind of managed all the little niggles that pop up pretty well.
“I think even the schedule this summer seems to be just when you need a week’s break, kind of there was a week break in between Test matches.
“It’s been a long summer but we all still feel like we’ve got a fair bit of freshness.
“We’re not limping over the line, still feel like we’re in a great position. I wouldn’t have thought we’d be here a couple of months ago.”
While the Hagley wicket had plenty of grass covering, Cummins said that did not necessarily mean the ball would be nipping around for an extended period.
“I think the trend is it starts off really green, gets a bit flatter,’’ he said. “It’s not like a Gabba green wicket day one where it’s going to seam all over the place.
“I think they still play pretty truly here. So it can be a little bit misleading at times, I think.
“But it looks like a good wicket. It always seems to be pretty consistently good here.”
While New Zealand sent Australia in last week in Wellington, tactics at the toss seem less clear this time around.