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Former England captain Michael Vaughan has warned Scott Boland he can expect to be the target of a pre-meditated “Bazball” blitz when the Ashes series opens in Perth next week.
Boland is almost certain to line up at Optus Stadium as Pat Cummins’ fast-bowling replacement, the Australian skipper recovering well from a lower-back stress injury but not in time to play in the first Test.
Pace ace Scott Boland is poised to replace Pat Cummins in Perth.Credit: AP
Victorian seamer Boland has a superb record in Test cricket, but was targeted by England on the 2023 Ashes tour when conceding 231 runs while taking just two wickets in matches at Leeds and Birmingham.
Vaughan, the 2005 Ashes-winning captain, said Boland had a similar trait to that of Indian great Jasprit Bumrah, and he would be suited to the conditions in Perth.
“Of all the venues, Pat [Cummins] was undercooked last year in Perth and, probably for the first time, was not that great in Perth against India last year,” Vaughan, now a leading commentator for streaming service Kayo Sports, which will broadcast the upcoming series, said on Monday.
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“I guess, of all the venues, if you’re going to leave Pat out, Perth is not a bad venue.
“It brings in Scott Boland, a star bowler who hits the stumps, very similar to what we saw from Jasprit Bumrah last year – that skiddy kind of trajectory. Of all the venues, I think Boland’s going to suit Perth.
“He’s going to hit that length, and the question is how England counteracts that. I think they’ll probably go at him.
“We’ll try to knock him off his balance and probably run at him and try to hit him, which comes with a great deal of danger. I’m intrigued to see how the England batters play Scotty Boland. Sometimes the underdog, the under-statesman, comes out on top, and Boland’s got 49 wickets at 12 apiece in Australia.”
Boland, who has a career haul of 62 wickets in 14 Tests at an average of 16.53, last month said he was mentally prepared for what potentially lay ahead this summer, if the likes of heavy hitters Harry Brook and Ben Stokes went after him.
“It’s not really me showing my skills against them. It’s probably more [that] I believe in my skills. So it’s just me wanting to put out a really good performance,” Boland said.
“I’m a proud cricketer. I want to put in my best performance every time I can. So that’s probably the main thing.”
Vaughan is predicting a 3-1 series win by the home team, but said England boasts a pace attack which could drag the tourists to victory. While Jofra Archer and Mark Wood are the headline speedsters who could leave mental and physical scars, Vaughan says it’s a less heralded teammate that may surprise.
“Everyone will be talking about Jofra Archer and Mark Wood … but Josh Tongue can have an impact,” Vaughan said of the right-arm seamer who has 31 wickets in six Tests.
“Tongue’s been great for England in the summer. And he bowled well against Australia in 2023 in one game. He’s got an awkward action. A square-on, front-on action.
“He gets them down at a decent length, so Josh Tongue’s a bowler who could have a huge amount of success here.
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“Josh Tongue has bowled well in England on most pitches, but he should suit the extra bounce in Perth. You can get the ball moving around. He’s very, very good against left-handers. The Australians are potentially going to have five in their 11, so you’ll fancy going to the left hand.”
The tourists held a net session at Lilac Hill in Perth on Monday ahead of their warm-up match against development team England Lions from Thursday.
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