Scott Boland

A fast bowler from the Frankston-Peninsula club in Melbourne, Scott Boland had been a stalwart of the domestic game with a brief opportunity in limited-overs internationals when he made a remarkable start to his Test career at the age of 32 by ripping through England at his home ground the MCG with 6 for 7. He became just the second male Indigenous Test player for Australia after Jason Gillespie and ended his debut series with a bowling average of 9.55.

While never being assured of his spot due to the presence of Australia's big three, Boland has had a significant impact whenever called on, especially at home, in arguably one of the greatest back-up roles the game has seen. Against India in 2024-25 he claimed 21 wickets in three matches then the following season he played every Ashes Test as injuries struck Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.

Boland made his Victoria debut in 2011-12, but it was not until 2013-14 that he enjoyed an extended run in the Sheffield Shield side. A consistent performer, Boland collected another 25 wickets in the 2014-15 Shield season and in 2015-16 earned an unexpected call as a standby player for Australia's squad for the Hobart Test against West Indies. The promotion came after Boland collected a career-best 7 for 31 in a Shield win over Western Australia.

ODI and T20I debuts came in the same summer, and he finished the season with the Bill Lawry Medal as Victoria's Sheffield Shield Player of the Year. He toured West Indies, Sri Lanka and South Africa with Australia's ODI and T20 teams in 2016, but further opportunities weren't forthcoming. In 2018-19 he was the Sheffield Shield Player of the Year taking 48 wickets at 19.66, helping Victoria claim the title.
ESPNcricinfo staff