Australia paceman Scott Boland insists he has nothing to prove ahead of the upcoming Ashes series, two years after enduring a tough time in England during the 2023 campaign.
The Victorian quick was on the receiving end of England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach in that series, managing just two wickets for 231 runs across two Tests and conceding nearly five runs an over. It was a stark contrast to his stellar 2021/22 Ashes performance on home soil, where he took 18 wickets, including a memorable seven-wicket debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Despite recent criticism, including from former England captain Michael Atherton who wrote that England’s batters held no fear of Boland, the 36-year-old remains unfazed and focused on the upcoming series, which begins in Perth on 21 November.
“It is not about proving anything to anyone else,” Boland told reporters at the MCG on Tuesday.
“I believe in my own skills. I am a proud cricketer, and every time I play, I want to put out my best performance.
“There are always going to be moments where you get tested, but I am learning to manage those better. Even when things are not going my way, I back myself to fight back and stay in the contest.”
Boland has often had to wait his turn in a Test squad packed with pace options, including Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. However, with Cummins managing a back injury, Boland may be called upon from the first Test of the summer.
He has shown strong early-season form, taking eight wickets in Victoria’s Sheffield Shield victory over New South Wales last week. After completing two months of gym and rehabilitation work following the West Indies tour, he says he is physically ready for whatever the Ashes demands.
“I definitely feel as good as I have this year,” he said.
“I would not be honest if I said I was not excited. Every summer I want to be in the team and playing a role. Even if I am the 12th man, I still want to be involved.”
On Tuesday, Boland also took part in launching a renewed partnership between the National Indigenous Cricket Championships (NICC) and the Melbourne Cricket Club, as well as a training camp for Indigenous talent at the MCG.
Boland, only the second Indigenous Australian to play Test cricket, welcomed the progress of South Australian paceman Brendan Doggett, who could become the third despite recent injury setbacks.
“That would be awesome,” said Boland. “You can see the skill he has. Brendan was in this programme five or six years ago and has progressed really well.”
