Opinion
One of the most interesting stylistic clashes in cricket will occur in the Ashes when the seemingly error-free Australian cult hero Scott Boland will hold up an end against the dynamic batting of England.
The English media have been quick to proclaim the dawn of a new era of Test match batting, while the Australians have swiftly pointed out that they haven’t come up against the vaunted Australian bowling line-up yet.
Media pundits have also used the example of India’s top order in the WTC final to argue over what would happen against those that try to attack the Australian bowling line-up.
However, the difference between ‘Bazball’ and India in the final is still quite different. While the Indian batters did adopt a more attacking approach, it was still rather conventional.
The big key for England under the stewardship of Brendan McCullum has not just been about the rate at which they have scored, but the methods that they have employed when scoring quickly.
The English batters are always on the move, utilising tactics commonly seen in the death overs of T20 cricket such as batting deep in their crease, shuffling across the crease, and charging down the wicket.
Joe Root and Ben Stokes. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Cricket journalist Jarrod Kimber illustrated just how different England’s Bazball approach is to other Test teams and it’s not just about scoring quickly.
Since June 2022, only half of the 36 batsmen that have faced more than 200 deliveries of pace have played 10% of their deliveries 2.25 metres or further down the pitch. England has five batters who played 15% or more of their deliveries 2.25 metres or further down the track.
Ollie Pope went down the pitch the most of all of the English batters at 23% of all deliveries he’s faced against pace since June 2022.
The premise behind the approach used by England is to throw the bowlers off of their line and length. This thus creates a tantalising matchup between the Bazballers and Scott Boland.
Boland is the most accurate bowler in the world according to Cricviz. Since 2021, Boland has bowled 56% of deliveries on what Cricviz defines as a good line and length – the most of any bowler in this time frame.
He continuously bowls in the same area attacking the off-stump, fourth-stump line and he does not budge. Boland’s ability to hit the same spots again and again has made him an incredible holding bowler. It is this laser-like accuracy that has led to him having an eye-watering 14.57 bowling average in Test cricket at an economy rate of 2.31.
Scott Boland celebrates the wicket of Ravindra Jadeja. (Photo by Gareth Copley-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Against India, Boland was a standout with his ability to dry up the run rate and take scalps. This could be seen by Boland’s crucial double-wicket over in the final innings to remove Kohli and Jadeja to break India’s resistance.
Boland’s tight bowling made Kohli uncertain over which deliveries to play and which to let go before throwing a wider one that Kohli chased as a result of getting bogged down by Boland which culminated in an edge and a brilliant diving slips catch by Steve Smith.
Two balls later Jadeja knicked off to Boland coming around the wicket to a ball that looked like it was angling in before it moved away from the left-hander on the seam. The Victorian right-armer has developed a remarkable knack for taking multiple wickets in quick succession, a feat that England is already familiar with at the hands of Boland in the previous Ashes in Australia.
In the eight Tests that he has played, Boland had taken multiple wickets in the same over 6 times.
There remain questions over when Boland will front up against England with incumbent Josh Hazelwood reportedly likely to return to his place in the side for the first Ashes Test if he is fit.
When the time does come for Boland’s inclusion, we’ll get to see whether England’s tactics of throwing bowlers off their line and length will work against the best line and length bowler or if it plays right into Scott Boland’s hands as he rips through another batting line-up in what has been a fairytale Test career so far.
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