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<\/p>\n\u201cThat\u2019s kind of reflective of just how famous he\u2019d become in the matter of moments.\u201d<\/p>\n
MCG specialist<\/p>\n
Boland did not start the 2021-22 Ashes series with any level of fame. Far from being a national hero, he was not even named in the initial 15-man squad.<\/p>\n
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Boland at home, preparing in the MCG nets for this year\u2019s Ashes Test.Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n
But by the time the tour hit Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test, following victories in Brisbane and Adelaide, Josh Hazlewood, Jhye Richardson and Michael Neser had all been ruled out with soreness.<\/p>\n
Boland\u2019s name was suddenly in the frame, and word began to spread that the 32-year-old Victorian was firming for selection because he was an MCG specialist.<\/p>\n
The figures did not lie \u2013 in his six previous first-class matches at the ground he had taken 42 wickets at 14.35, striking every 35 balls for his state.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was almost like they were lining him up for this particular game,\u201d Rogers recalled.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think I stated publicly that I would have taken Scott Boland over any bowler in domestic cricket.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the thing with Scotty, probably more so than anyone, is that his floor is practically his ceiling. Like it\u2019s the same every time.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a coach and as a teammate, you know exactly how he\u2019s going to perform, at least, with how the ball is going to come out of his hand. So I think that gave a lot of people confidence when it came to selection.\u201d<\/p>\n
The uncapped Boland was told of his selection on Christmas Eve, becoming the second Indigenous man to play Test cricket for Australia following Jason Gillespie.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a luxury to have someone like him ready to go,\u201d Cummins told reporters at the time.<\/p>\n
But Boland was anything but ready to go. Soon after being presented with his baggy green by the injured Hazlewood, Boland admitted being hit by first-innings nerves.<\/p>\n
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Boland takes questions from the media on Christmas Eve.Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Hint of things to come<\/p>\n
It was not until the lunch break of the opening day, after Australia won the toss and elected to bowl, that assistant coach Andrew McDonald was able to pull the debutant aside.<\/p>\n
He told Boland he was playing it too safe. He needed to let his action flow.<\/p>\n
It was sound advice, but the first indication the Victorian quick was about to unleash hell did not unfold until the final session of the second day.<\/p>\n
By then, England had started their second innings and trailed Australia by 82 runs.<\/p>\n
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Despite the desperate urgings of the Barmy Army, the tourists did not stand a chance. They were immediately consigned to the back foot as Mitchell Starc snared the wickets of Zak Crawley and Dawid Malan in successive balls. Then the magic began.<\/p>\n
Boland was brought into the attack for the second-last over of the day and, heeding McDonald\u2019s words, took two wickets with his first five balls \u2013 opener Haseeb Hameed edged behind to Alex Carey and then nightwatchman Jack Leach shouldered arms to a ball that cannoned into his off-stump.<\/p>\n
It was a tantalising appetiser of what was to come.<\/p>\n
\u2018What is happening?\u2019<\/p>\n
It was a quirk of the roster that Fox commentator Mark Howard found himself calling back-to-back sessions.<\/p>\n
He still feels privileged to have provided a soundtrack to Boland\u2019s match-winning feat.<\/p>\n
The Victorian paceman took a wicket with his fifth ball of the third morning, trapping Jonny Bairstow lbw for five. He had figures of 3-5 off 1.5 overs and England were on their knees at 6-60, still trailing by 22 runs.<\/p>\n
Then came the prized scalp of Joe Root. Boland enticed the English skipper to drive at a rising delivery, and he was caught in slip by David Warner for 28. Boland had taken 4-5 off 2.4 overs. England were 7-61.<\/p>\n
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Boland has learnt to let himself go in the Test arena.Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cThe crowd wasn\u2019t that big, but, geez, the crowd was loud,\u201d Howard recalled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t broadcast many Test matches where you fully expected there could be a wicket every single ball. It seemed like every two or three balls there was a wicket.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd again, it\u2019s not like he is pumping his fist; he\u2019s just taking the wicket and smiling.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even coach Justin Langer surrendered himself to the moment. Now a Channel 7 cricket expert, he said he took the unusual step of sitting at ground level on the final morning of that Boxing Day Test, giving up his bird\u2019s-eye view from the team box to be closer to the action.<\/p>\n
He was glad he did. He said the crowd\u2019s reaction to the hometown hero was so infectious it made winning the Ashes even more special.<\/p>\n
Almost as mesmerising as Boland\u2019s spell was the subdued way in which he dealt with the sudden adulation from the parochial Victorian fans.<\/p>\n
As he would amble back to Bay 13 after each over to take up his fielding position at fine leg, the best he could offer to the screaming crowd was a smile and a hesitant thumbs-up.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything happened so quick, I didn\u2019t really know what to think, I was a bit embarrassed,\u201d Boland would later admit.<\/p>\n
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But the raucous crowd did not unsettle Boland\u2019s metronomical style and unnerving accuracy.<\/p>\n
He snared his fifth wicket when Mark Wood scooped up a straight-forward caught-and-bowled chance, and then topped off the morning by having Ollie Robinson caught at slip by Marnus Labuschagne. Boland finished with 6-7 off four overs and England were 9-67.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach wicket, he\u2019d go back down to Bay 13, and to me, that was like Merv Hughes going back, and the crowd going bananas,\u201d Howard recalled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember talking to the producers at the time, and we were talking about, \u2018make sure we be quiet as Scotty goes back in front of Bay 13\u2019, so we could hear the crowd.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the most endearing memories in commentary for Howard was the reaction of his co-caller and retired great Mike Hussey.<\/p>\n
The normally unflappable Mr Cricket became so caught up in the on-field theatrics, he abandoned his usual analytical approach and started giggling.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is happening here, Howie?\u201d he laughed after Boland\u2019s final wicket.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat to me is the defining moment of what Scotty was doing,\u201d Howard said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause, if a bloke as considered and analytical as Mike Hussey had become so swept up in what Scotty was doing \u2026 that showed me just how much the moment lifted people to a whole new level of excitement.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Scott Boland won the Mullagh Medal on Test debut.Credit: Getty<\/p>\n
Do the moment justice<\/p>\n
Howard\u2019s iconic line \u201cbuild the man a statue\u201d immediately resonated with fans.<\/p>\n
It was born, he said, out of a moment of reflection on his way to the MCG.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was walking around the statues,\u201d he explained, \u201cand there\u2019s a statue of Warnie, and there\u2019s a statue of (AFL legend) Leigh Matthews, and I was pondering to myself, \u2018of the current Australian team who will potentially have a statue built for him outside the MCG?\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my head it was Steve Smith, not a Victorian, but to me, he\u2019s the great player of our generation. So I guess it was in the back of my subconscious.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you don\u2019t turn up to work thinking, \u2018right, Scotty Boland is going to take six for seven and you\u2019re going to have a line about a statue\u2019. You just want to do justice to the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
The line became synonymous with Boland.<\/p>\n
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He later told Howard that no matter where he played, people would be hanging over the fence, yelling, \u201cbuild the man a statue\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can clearly remember being in Ahmedabad in India, which is where they had the last World Cup final, and I\u2019m walking around in a T-shirt and shorts and a hat, and a guy coming up to me and quoting four of the wickets word by word, finishing with, \u2018build the man of statue\u2019,\u201d Howard said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat fills me with great joy, that people have such a positive association with what Scotty did.\u201d<\/p>\n