Breakout Test cricket champion Scott Boland won over plenty of admirers during the Ashes, including an Olympic champion and one of the AFL’s biggest cult heroes.
Called into the side at the last minute, Boland recorded spellbinding figures of 6-7 in the second innings of the Boxing Day Test and went on to claim the Johnny Mullagh Medal as the Player Of The Match.
Boland retained his spot in the XI for the remainder of the Ashes and finished the series as a national cult hero.
“It’s been an amazing few weeks,” Boland said on RSN.
“If you said any of this would happen two months ago, I wouldn’t have believed you.”
With success has come adulation, and Boland revealed it wasn’t just cricketers who wished him well in the Ashes.
“I’ve had so many messages from past players and past teammates. Even guys from opposition teams like Ed Cowan and guys like that I've had really nice messages from,” he said.
xjmtzyw“I’ve had some really nice messages from people I didn’t think would reach out. I’ve had a few nice messages from ‘Fev’ (AFL legend Brendan Fevola) and the Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus. It’s been nice.”
While Boland could hardly have hoped for a better start to his Test career, he said it wasn’t altogether a surprise to have been picked for higher honours.
“I definitely thought I could play a Test match or put my name up there,” he said.
“The conversations I’ve had with (chairman of selectors) George Bailey over the last three or four months have been pretty positive.
“Once the squad got announced, he was pretty adamant that I was going to be added in for the Melbourne and Sydney legs of the Test series. They definitely stayed true to their word.”
Boland won’t have much time to bask in the Ashes glory – he’s due to suit up for the Hobart Hurricanes in Friday night’s sudden-death BBL finals clash with the Adelaide Strikers.
He’ll add much-needed experience to the Canes’ bowling attack, which was embarrassed by the Melbourne Stars in the side’s last outing.
