Melbourne Melbourne. The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is where Scott Boland truly feels at home. Of his 40 Test wickets so far, the most memorable on debut came at this very ground. Boland's first impression was so strong that it remains the most lasting to date – he bowled out England with figures of 6 for 7 in the second innings on his debut, a credit to his loyal supporters.
Now, with another Boxing Day Test looming on the 'G', Boland is ready to once again step into the shoes of Josh Hazlewood, continuing the role of perfect first substitute that has defined his 11-Test career. And like a true workhorse, his practice sessions are as disciplined as they come. On Monday, during Australia's first session before the fourth Test, Boland's focus was clear. Known for hitting hard lengths, Boland practiced single-net spot bowling without hitting the batsman. His aim was to pinpoint the ideal length for the MCG track. Boland is not a traditional swing bowler and relies more on pace and movement off the track, and generally prefers to hit the ball in a good length area around five metres. Let's try.
In the presence of assistant coach Daniel Vettori, Boland was seen trying to bowl the ball over four yellow cones placed about five meters away from the batsman's popping crease. For a while, he tried to bowl hard lengths, but there were a few over-pitched deliveries which fell at drivable lengths. After a few deliveries, Boland went back to his run-up and chatted to Vettori. Although the content of the discussion could not be understood from a distance, Boland could be seen walking down the track to readjust the cones. This time, he was placed slightly behind the length, about seven metres. During the session, Boland consistently bowled at lengths that provided sharp bounce, which could cause problems for the Indian batsmen. Smith, Labuschagne sweated it out; Webster is in better touch than Marsh ======================================= His feet With literally no room in between, Steve Smith's stance seemed unorthodox and far from aesthetic, but no one can question a man who has 33 Test centuries to his name.
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