Australia’s bowling brigade are banking on the plans that foiled England in the Ashes opener to outwit the brash Bazballers under lights in Brisbane this week.
Scott Boland owned his unusual “off day” to begin the series in Perth as the Aussie pace attack’s super-sub says his side will hardly deviate from the strategy that sparked the visitors’ second-innings implosion.
Bowling on day two, the home side’s quicks reverted to a wider line and shorter length attempting to play on the egos of England’s aggressive batters.
The play unfolded as the hosts drew it up, Boland taking three of the Bazball era’s top four run scorers in the space of 11 balls, all caught behind the wicket. Ben Duckett was squared up by a peach, before Ollie Pope and Harry Brook both nicked trying to drive balls on the up.
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“It felt like that (wider line worked), especially with the bounce in Perth,” the Victorian told reporters on Tuesday.
“I think we’ll get some good bounce here at the Gabba, which we usually do. We just had a bowling meeting before where we went through what worked in Perth and what’s going to work here.
“It feels like a lot of the stuff is very similar.”
Adding in Mitchell Starc’s day-two dismissal of Joe Root – the game’s all-time leading Test run scorer among active players chopping also trying to reach a wider ball – England lost 4-11 having only moments earlier been well ahead in the match.
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Less than 24 hours earlier, Boland had walked off smarting from the worst bowling figures of his Test career.
Taking the new ball for just the second time in a home Test, he overpitched several times and was driven for four boundaries in his opening spell, three times by Duckett.
Brook then went after him later on, smoking a charging six over cover.
It had not felt quite as bad as the mauling he took from England in 2023, but his return of 0-62 from 10 overs marked the worst economy rate he had ever returned in a Test innings, and only the second time he had gone wicketless at home.
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Andrew McDonald later protected Boland, who is taking on a greater role in the absence of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, as the coach suggested their new-ball plans with on day one had not suited the 36-year-old.
Boland was having none of it.
“I think Ronnie’s pretty nice to me there,” the smiling seamer said. “I just had one of those days where I just felt like I was overpitching too much.
“I wanted to start a little bit fuller than normal with the new ball, but probably bowled seven or eight half-volleys, and they all went for four. Some days half of them don’t and your figures look a bit better.
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“But obviously bowling to some very good players, and they hit them straight in the middle of the bat and they went for four.
“So I was pretty happy with how I bounced back in the second innings. I didn’t bowl too many half volleys – I sort of went back to my natural length, stuff that I know I’m really good at.
“I was obviously really disappointed with how I bowled in the first innings, because I generally don’t bowl too many half-volleys. To bowl seven and not figure it out a little bit quicker, I was a little bit disappointed with that.”
A better start to Boland’s spell when the visitors commenced their second innings meant England were forced to go after him; the only boundary he conceded in his first-up spell was when Duckett charged him and sliced one over the off-side.
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He finished with 4-33 from 11.4 telling overs, paving the way for Travis Head’s batting brilliance in the final session.
“It just proves to me that my good stuff, it doesn’t matter who it’s to, it feels like when I’m getting it in the right areas, it’s good enough to anyone,” said Boland.
“That gives me a little bit of confidence that if I’m nailing my game … I’m good enough to compete with anyone.”
2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men’s Ashes
First Test: Australia won by eight wickets
Second Test: December 4-8, The Gabba, Brisbane (D/N), 3pm AEDT
Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 10:30am AEDT
Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10:30am AEDT
Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10:30am AEDT
Australia squad (second Test only): Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood
