Signs good for Boult’s return
Trent Boult seems all but certain to return for the Boxing Day test after steaming in against Black Caps team-mates for a Victoria XI and taking the wicket of New Zealand opener Tom Latham to boot.
The star Black Caps paceman missed the first test, which Australia won comfortably by 296 runs in Perth last week, because of a rib muscle injury suffered in New Zealand’s test victory over England at Mount Maunganui last month.
But his appearance in a warmup match, albeit playing for Victoria at Scotch College in Melbourne, suggests the 30-year-old left-armer will play the second test in Australia, starting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday.
‘‘I was a proud representative of Victoria yesterday. It was good fun and nice to get some overs under my belt, field for a bit, and get some time in my legs,’’ Boult said yesterday.
‘‘It’s all going well, I feel like I’ve ticked the right boxes in terms of my rehab and preparations, and I’m looking forward to getting out there. It was more about rhythm and loading from my point of view.’’
In the warmup match which confirmed the Black Caps are set to pick Tom Blundell as an opener in place of a struggling Jeet Raval, Boult removed Latham after he was caught at mid-off and bowled 11 overs for 1-29.
Blundell retired after scoring a brisk 59 off 70 balls as the Black Caps finished the practice fixture at 258-3, with skipper Kane Williamson (39), Ross Taylor (40), BJ Watling (37), Mitchell Santner (22) and Todd Astle (14) also retiring, while Latham (5), Henry Nicholls (20) and Neil Wagner (0) were the only players dismissed.
Boult admitted to some mental barriers ahead of his comeback and it would be a timely boost for the Black Caps with the MCG curator predicting the Boxing Day pitch will be lively.
‘‘Anyone will tell you coming back from injury, there’s a few psychological walls you need to break through,’’ he said. ‘‘I’ve played 60-odd tests, so I understand what’s needed for fitness.’’