Fast bowler Scott Boland has identified Joe Root as the key England batter Australia will look to contain in the upcoming Ashes, with the series opener scheduled for November 21 at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
Australia have long had a tradition of singling out influential English players, Glenn McGrath famously targeted key batters before each Ashes encounter, while former captain Michael Clarke instructed his bowlers to neutralise Alastair Cook during the 5-0 whitewash in 2013-14.
With the opening Test in Perth starting November 21, Root has again become a focal point in local discussions, especially given that he has yet to score a Test century in Australia.
“You always want to take down the best players. In the past, when Joe Root was captain, you wanted to try to make sure they had as little impact as you can. England have quite a few good batters we’ll be looking to do that to,” Boland was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.
Boland, who dismissed Root four times during England’s most recent Ashes tour, added, “Hopefully we can keep Joe Root and the guys in the middle-order pretty quiet.”
Initially expected to start the series as a backup option, Boland has now been drafted into Australia’s XI for the opening Test following injuries to captain Pat Cummins and fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood. He and Mitchell Starc are likely to be joined by Brendan Doggett, the 31-year-old uncapped seamer.
“Obviously, you don’t want to be missing two great players like Josh and Pat. Our bowling stocks have been really strong for quite a while – no one has been able to break in. It’s going to be an exciting time. A new guy or two will get a look in. They’re not inexperienced guys. Brendan is 31 years old, he’s played a lot of first-class cricket, and he knows his game. He knows what he’s going to need to do to express his skills out on the big stage,” Boland said.
Doggett ‘ready to go’ in Perth: Harris
Former Australia fast bowler Ryan Harris has thrown his support behind Doggett for selection in the first Ashes Test against England, saying the seamer has reached a stage where he is “ready to go”.
“I’ve been back in Adelaide three years now, and he’s just gotten better and better in that time. He’s been building over a number of years but one thing I’ve noticed in the last sort of couple of years is he’s obviously matured, he knows his game really well,” said Harris, who coaches Doggett in the South Australia Sheffield Shield team.
“He’s still had a couple of little issues with injury here and there, as most bowlers do, but I think in the last sort of two years, he’s got his body up to scratch… I think he’s really at peace with his body and where it is and probably more importantly his game.”
“He knows what his role is when he plays, and he executes that role 99 per cent of the time. Obviously, it’s still a little bit nerve-wracking, making your debut at Test level, but I think if you’re a bit older… I guess the occasion doesn’t sort of overrule you. He’s at that point now where he’s ready to go,” Harris said on SEN Radio.
Drawing from his own experience of debuting at 31, Harris said Doggett’s age and maturity would be assets in the pressure-filled Ashes environment. “He’s sort of high 130s, but sort of hits the bat harder than you think, and… on a good day he can crank it up sort of past the 140 as well. He’s not too tall… he’s no Mitchell Starc tall, but he does get some nice bounce as well.”
“One of the most important things, he bowls a really nice length, what I call sort of a Test length, which is a little bit fuller, and he can swing the ball at pace. He’s got all the ingredients, and… I feel as though it’s the best time… for him to have a crack,” he added.