Scott Boland could lay claim to being Australia’s unluckiest ever cricketer, after adding a Test hat-trick to a magical late-career surge since his famous 2021 Boxing Day debut.
Statistically the best Test bowler in more than 100 years, Boland became just the 10th Australian man to take a hat-trick on Monday (Tuesday AEST) in Jamaica.
His haul came on a record-breaking day for the tourists, who bowled West Indies out for just 27 to wrap up a 176-run win and 3-0 sweep of the Frank Worrell Trophy.
Starc was the chief destroyer with 6-9 up front, but Boland again vindicated the selectors’ call to go with four quicks and leave out a fit Nathan Lyon for the first time in 12 years.
Boland’s inclusion also allowed him to join Glenn McGrath as the only paceman to play for Australia after his 36th birthday in the last 60 years.
In Australia’s 39 Tests since his 2021 debut, Boland has played just 14 of them for a hat-trick, 6-7 on debut in 2021 and 10-wicket match haul in Sydney last summer.
All of it prompting Starc to label the seamer one of the unluckiest men to ever wear the Baggy Green.
“He would have played so many more Test matches in another team,” Starc said.
“But every time he comes in he is on the money, like we saw this week. He is never far from the perfect length.
“He is preparing all the time to play, and this week he got his opportunity and showed what a wonderful Test bowler he is.”
When Boland’s next Test will come remains unclear.
Selectors have repeatedly shown that Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins maintain top billing in Australia’s squad, with Boland only picked ahead of any of them once.
The final three Tests of this summer’s Ashes will be played over a 23-day window, potentially opening door for the Victorian to come in if one of the big three are rested.
Otherwise he could be forced to wait again, despite having the seventh-best bowling average in Test history with 16.53, and the best of any bowler in the past 100 years.
Boland has been close to hat-tricks before, but nailed his execution in Kingston when he took the top of Jomel Warrican’s off stump.
He had previously discarded Justin Greaves and Shamar Joseph, edging the former off before having Joseph trapped lbw on review.
“Today was three classic Scotty Boland wickets,” Cummins said.
“Three right at the stumps or not far away. Really happy for him.
“He has spent a lot of time running the drinks in the past year or two when the other guys are fit, but he is always quality when he comes in.”
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: TBC
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
