National selectors are facing the daunting task of choosing between Australian stalwart Josh Hazlewood and Victorian hero Scott Boland for next week’s Boxing Day Test against South Africa at the MCG.
Hazlewood missed the Adelaide Test against the West Indies after suffering a minor side strain, opening the door for Boland to return to the Australian starting XI for the first time in 11 months.
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The 33-year-old quickly proved that last summer’s Ashes demolition was no fluke, taking a triple-wicket maiden at Adelaide Oval to help Australia claim a comprehensive 419-run victory over the West Indies.
Boland currently averages 10.36 with the ball in Australian whites, the lowest figure in Test history of players who have taken at least 25 wickets.
However, the imminent return of Hazlewood creates a headache for coach Andrew McDonald and national selectors George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide.
Speaking to Channel 7 on Sunday, the New South Welshman hinted he could be available for the Boxing Day Test, but a final decision wouldn’t be made until Christmas Eve.
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“(My chances are) much better after today’s session,” Hazlewood said.
“Everything is feeling really nice and I’m not noticing the side at all, so fingers crossed.
“I had a little bowl on Friday back in Sydney and started up off a few steps and pushed back to a half-run on Friday and today went really well. I pushed back to pretty much full run-up and around 85-90 per cent intensity.
“Everything is ticking along nicely and going according to plan.”
It would be difficult to justify omitting Hazlewood for the MCG Test considering his impeccable record over 58 matches, but there would be riots in Yarra Park if Boland was sidelined.
Twelve months ago, Boland became a fan favourite and cemented his name in Ashes folklore after taking 6/7 against England during the corresponding fixture. His dedicated legion of fans in the Victorian capital would not be impressed if he carried the drinks next week.
LOWEST TEST BOWLING AVERAGE IN HISTORY
10.36 — Scott Boland
10.75 — George Lohmann
12.70 — J.J. Ferris
13.00 — Axar Patel
15.00 — Albert Trott
* Minimum 25 Test wickets
“I’d love another chance to have a bowl on Boxing Day,” Boland told ABC Grandstand on Sunday.
“I enjoyed the support from the crowd so much last year.
“I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing. I’ve just got to keep bowling well and try to make the coachs and the selectors’ decision really hard.”
Chair of selectors Bailey admitted there was now little separating Hazlewood and Boland in the Australian pace-bowling hierarchy.
“(Boland) was on the radar for the MCG last year because of exactly what we’ve seen him do – he bashes a length, and his ability to take multiple wickets in the same over speaks to how consistent he is and the questions he asks of the batter right from ball one,” Bailey said.
“Josh is recovering really well. Had another really good hit out and is close to 90 per cent I reckon.
“He’ll keep building and clearly we’ve got a decision to make, but it’s a good problem to have.
“… Effectively Uzzie (Usman Khawaja) was in the same position last summer. Travis (Head) gets the nod in the first Test (at Khawaja’s home ground, the Gabba). Uzzie waits, gets his opportunity and grabs it.
“And that’s a really important part of what this team is at the moment, that when that opportunity is there you grab it. You come in, there’s a really clear role you can perform.
“Barrel (Boland) is doing it, he’s been fantastic. Hoff (Hazlewood) has obviously done it for a very, very long time as well.
“… clearly we’ve got a decision to make, but it’s a good problem to have. I’m really glad that it is a tough decision to make.”
Speaking to reporters in the post-match press conference on Sunday, Australian captain Pat Cummins acknowledged it would be a difficult decision.
“Even looking at the first Test of the summer was a tough call after the summer he had last year,” Cummins said.
“We keep talking about the next six months – we’ve got some big tours coming up and we’re going to need more than 11 players.
“To be able to draw on someone like Josh Hazlewood off the bench, it’s going to be tough with someone missing out.”
Adding to the situation’s complexity is Boland’s superb record at the MCG, where he averages 24.35 in first-class cricket. Hazlewood, meanwhile, averages 35.69 at the iconic venue.
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Former Australian opener Simon Katich argued that Boland should get the nod over Hazlewood because the Bendemeer Bullet doesn’t have enough red-ball cricket under his belt.
“I think (Boland’s) one of the first picked at the moment because he just builds pressure,” Katich told SEN Breakfast on Monday morning.
“Even when he didn’t take wickets in the first innings at Adelaide, he was still building pressure at one end and the other bowlers were reaping the rewards.
“As we’ve seen, he’s got this knack of being able to take multiple wickets in an over and I think it’s because he’s on and around the top of off stump with movement both ways at good pace.
“He just asks really tough questions of the new batsman when they come to the crease and I think he has to play.
“It’s no disrespect to Josh Hazlewood who’s a class player, but he’s been underdone.
“He didn’t play any red ball cricket leading into the Test at Perth, got injured and I’m not sure he walks straight back in.”
Hazlewood has only played three Tests since February 2021 due to injuries and Australia’s preference for two strike spinners in the subcontinent.
The 31-year-old confessed being a three-format player has taken a toll on his body, identifying workload management as a priority over the coming months.
“It’s been a frustrating little period I guess, in particular in red ball … the white-ball has been going great the last few years,” Hazlewood said.
“I guess that’s the cost of playing all three formats and putting all your energy into every little game you play.
“You don’t have that time to either build your strength up and or build the workloads up to get ready for a Test match.
“We might have to look at that and find a way around that somehow.”
The second Test between Australia and South Africa gets underway at the MCG on Boxing Day, with the first delivery scheduled for 10.30pm AEDT.