How Scott Boland went from a golden duck at No.11 to opening batsman on one crazy Boxing Day

2 months ago 16

The idea of No.11 Scott Boland batting out the final over of Boxing Day to rapturous applause is not outlandish – though few could have foreseen him doing it as an opener in Australia’s second innings.

The sight of Boland walking out of the tunnel just before 6pm, padded up just minutes after claiming three wickets, summed up the craziness of a day the record crowd of 94,199, and fans around the globe, will remember for decades to come.

Scott Boland can now add the title of Australian opening batsman to his CV. He leaves the field with fellow opener Travis Head on Boxing Day.

The MCG has seen some wild days in its time, though rarely as crazy as this. Even the most miserly of Scrooges in the stands would not have complained of being denied nine overs: 20 wickets, 266 runs and the constant threat of a wicket falling has that affect.

Tickets for day three are in danger of suffering the same fate as the Christmas turkey.

Plenty rides on the ability of Australia’s batters to dig in – or England’s. Having already lost $4 million in revenue from the two-day Test in Perth, Cricket Australia would be up for at least another seven-figure loss should there be a repeat here. Day three is near sold out.

There are no refunds if a result is reached – even if it takes one ball. CA will be hoping captains Steve Smith and Ben Stokes do not request an extra half hour to finish it off on Saturday night.

“We know it can move real fast day one and two, once that wicket hardens and dries out it can be quite nice to bat on,” Michael Neser, who top-scored for Australia with 35, said. “Tomorrow, I don’t want to go in with preconception of the wicket doing a lot. It can flatten.”

The batters from both sides felt the heat from the spiced-up track, which had 10mm of grass left on it. Soon it will be the turn of the man who produced it, the MCG’s head curator Matt Page.

From the bore draw of 2017 when former England opener Alastair Cook broke a lean run with a record 244 not out, the MCG pitch has turned 180 degrees in two Ashes cycles. Cook’s mark will outlast us all if the recent push towards seam-friendly pitches goes from a trend to a tradition.

On a chilly morning more suited to the venue’s winter game, Page was in a jovial mood at the MCC’s breakfast, joking that summer had not yet arrived in Melbourne. It has not made his job easier.

Scott Boland was in his element at the MCG, firstly at the sight of the lush grass on the pitch, and then once he exploited the conditions to trap Harry Brook lbw.

Melbourne’s fickle weather is an occupational hazard for curators. Knowing his pitch does not deteriorate, Page errs on the side of favouring the seamers early.

Batting error was to blame for enough of the 20 wickets that tumbled for this not to rest entirely in the lap of the curator. Nineteen fell on the first day in Perth, which still received the highest possible rating from the International Cricket Council.

CA chief Todd Greenberg said that he hoped the Melbourne Test would get to day five, as had been the case in Adelaide last week, and that ground staff would be held accountable if a well-grassed pitch resulted in an early finish, as would the selectors if Australia’s attack was unbalanced by the absence of spin.

“We want cricket wickets that have a balance between bat and ball,” Greenberg said. “We’ve got enormous faith in the venue, in the team here, in the people and the experts. Like all of us, players, administrators, we’ll all be held accountable, and we’re all held accountable to our performances.

The MCG crowd show their appreciation for Scott Boland.

“This is another big performance over the next five days, I hope it does go five days, but these guys know what they’re doing when they’re preparing cricket wickets, and I have no doubt our selectors and coaching staff know what they’re doing on their selections as well.”

The idea to opening with a tailender is one Australia has long considered though rarely enacted.

Neser described it as a “no-brainer”. If a wicket is to fall, best it is the No.11 than an opener. Although it should be noted that Boland only lasted one ball at the bottom of the order in Australia’s first innings.

“I never thought I was going to open the batting with Travis Head at the ’G in front of 95,000,” Boland said on Triple M. “That was awesome.

“When you’re in that position, it’s only one over, you want to protect your batters. I was happy to go out there.”

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