Desk Report,
Despite scoring a hat-trick, Boland was told, ‘He would have had the opportunity to play many Tests in another team’
The regret of being ‘born at the wrong time’ is not new in cricket. Such things have been said about Stuart McGill during the time of Shane Warne. Some have also said the same about Aqib Javed during the time of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. After Australia’s 176-run victory in the Kingston Test last night, Bangladesh time, Mitchell Starc said the same thing about Scott Boland, with a twist. By now, everyone knows what a great drama happened in Kingston. Chasing a target of 204 to win, West Indies were all out for just 27 runs—the second lowest innings in Test history. Mitchell Starc’s contribution to this devastation was greater—he took 6 wickets for 9 runs in 7.3 overs. However, even though he got the chance to bowl only two overs, that is, 12 balls, the Caribbeans could not stop Boland from making history. His bowling analysis is 2 overs, 1 maiden, 2 runs, 3 wickets. These 3 wickets are a hat-trick again!
Despite scoring a hat-trick, Boland was told, ‘He would have had the opportunity to play many Tests in another team’
Starc said of Boland at the award ceremony after the victory, “He is extraordinary. He would have had a chance to play many Tests in other teams.”
That is, Boland does not get regular opportunities because the current team has pacers like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Starc in the Australian team. But what he can do when given the opportunity is clear from the statistics. He has taken 62 wickets in 14 Tests at an average of 16.53. This Victorian pacer’s bowling average is the best in the last 100 years among bowlers who have bowled at least 2000 balls in Tests. However, he reached this height before his hat-trick last night. The bowling average improved further with the hat-trick and Boland came in to bowl after Kee Starc had wreaked havoc. The West Indies’ total was 23 for 6. He came in to bowl in the 12th over and took no wickets. In his second over (the 14th over of the innings), he dismissed Justin Greaves, Shamar Joseph and Jomel Warrick in the first three balls.
This is the first hat-trick by an Australian bowler in both men’s and women’s Tests since 2011. Australia women’s pacer Renee Farrell took a hat-trick against England 14 years ago. However, in men’s Tests alone, the last hat-trick by an Australian bowler before Boland was taken by pacer Peter Siddle in the 2010 Gabba Test – on his birthday. Overall, this is the 10th hat-trick by an Australian bowler in men’s Tests.
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