Rookie Australian paceman Scott Boland got his first taste of international cricket with a sound thrashing from the Indian batsmen in the first ODI but still insisted that he learnt valuable lessons from his debut match which the home side won by five wickets.
Boland made a bright start to his international career, conceding just 12 runs from his first four overs in the opening match of the ODI Series at the WACA Ground in Perth on Tuesday.
From there it went pear-shaped, with Boland finishing with 0/74 from 10 overs. His last two overs — the 48th and 50th of the innings — were particularly costly as India peeled off 30 runs to finish at 309 for 3, with opener Rohit Sharma (171 not out) doing bulk of the damage.
But the 26-year-old pacer has urged Australia’s selectors to give him another crack in the death-bowling role. He conceded that some of his yorkers missed the mark but only fractionally and said he will get better as he gets more matches.
“I only missed a couple by not too far. But when you’re bowling to someone who’s on 150 (Rohit), they’re going to hit them for six. I hit a few (yorkers) where he only got a one or a dot. But the margin for error is tiny,” said the Victorian.
“I’d like that (death bowling) to be my role. I know it’s quite tough, and some days things are going to go against you. But when you do have the good days, they’re really rewarding.”
Boland and Joel Paris made their debuts at the WACA, leaving 25-year-old Josh Hazlewood to spearhead the attack.
Hazlewood led from the front superbly, finishing with 1-41 from his 10 overs in a high-scoring match.
“He’s a fantastic bowler. Even just standing behind him in the nets the other day watching him warm up, you can see the beautiful shape he has on the ball and how effortless it is for him,” said Boland.
