Scott Boland’s hat-trick has shot him into the top 10 Test bowlers as Australia dominate the ICC rankings at a level not seen in almost 70 years.
Australia now have five players in the top 10 ICC Test bowler rankings following their demolition of West Indies for 27 in Jamaica, with Boland rising to a career-best sixth spot.
Captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood remain at three and four respectively, while off-spinner Nathan Lyon has dropped one spot to eighth following his omission for the third Test, while Mitchell Starc remains at No.10 despite a career-best 6-9 at Sabina Park.
Not since England had six bowlers in the top 12 in 1958 has a team dominated the bowling rankings like Australia is now.
After being recalled for Lyon in a conditions-based selection for the pink ball Test against West Indies, Boland’s three wickets in each innings – including the 12th Test hat-trick by an Australian man in the second – lifted him six places in the rankings.
The 36-year-old, who took a career-best 10-wicket haul in his most recent match for Australia prior to Jamaica, now has 62 Test wickets at 16.53 apiece – the best Test bowling average in more than a century (minimum 2000 balls bowled).
But such is the strength of Australia’s attack, which sees all five in the top 10 bowler rankings, the Victorian right-armer faces the prospect of missing the side’s next Test when the Ashes gets underway in Perth in late November.
“I’m playing with three of the best fast bowlers Australia has ever had, so I’m happy to be in behind them,” Boland said after the third Test.
“It’s going to extend all of our careers if we can all stay on the park and keep bowling really well, so I’m happy with that.
“I know I’m not going to play every game so I can be really specific my training, and then when I get to a Test match I’m going to play, I’m ready to go.”
Boland said he would have a month off bowling following Australia’s 3-0 sweep of West Indies in the Caribbean before reloading ahead of the home summer, where he is targeting two or three Sheffield Shield appearances for Victoria in preparation for the Ashes.
The top five in the ICC bowling rankings remains unchanged with India spearhead Jasprit Bumrah’s seven wickets against England at Lord’s helping him maintain his 50-point lead over South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada.
Despite being shot out for the second lowest score in Test history, there was positive news for West Indies on the bowling front with Shamar Joseph’s eight wickets in the third Test helping him to reach a career-best 14th position, while Alzarri Joseph moved up two spots to 29th and Justin Greaves is up 15 places to 65th.
Qantas Tour of the West Indies
First Test: Australia won by 159 runs
Second Test: Australia won by 133 runs
Third Test: Australia won by 176 runs
Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
West Indies Test squad: Roston Chase (c), Jomel Warrican (vc), Kevlon Anderson, Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Johann Layne, Mikyle Louis, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales
First T20I: July 20, Kingston, Jamaica (July 21, 10am AEST)
Second T20I: July 22, Kingston, Jamaica (July 23, 10am AEST)
Third T20I: July 25, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 26, 9am AEST)
Fourth T20I: July 26, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 27, 9am AEST)
Fifth T20I: July 28, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 29, 9am AEST)
West Indies T20 squad: Shai Hope (c), Jewel Andrew, Jediah Blades, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde (St Kitts only), Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell (Kingston only), Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd
Australia’s T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshius, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa
