Aussie pace ‘big three’ no longer with rise of Boland - Cummins

Callan Morse Published June 7, 2023 at 11.30am (AWST)

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Scott Boland's success at Test level means Australia's pace attack is no longer a set trio. (Image: Joel Carrett/AAP)

Pat Cummins has played down Australia's well-known three-pronged pace attack of himself, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc due to the continual rise of Scott Boland.

It comes as the Gulidjan star was selected to play his first Test on British soil, the World Test Championship final against India at The Oval.

The likelihood of Boland's selection was boosted with Josh Hazlewood not fully recovered from recent achilles and side injuries, however Cummins said regardless of availability, Boland is considered in the same calibre as Australia's incumbent quicks.

"I wouldn't say there's a pecking order. I think we're big on everyone bowls slightly differently," Cummins said of Australia's pace attack.

Australia are expected to rely on the quartet of Cummins, Boland, Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc in the traditional pace-friendly English conditions over the next six weeks, with the five Test Ashes series beginning just five days after the scheduled completion of the World Test Championship final.

Cummins said the subtle variety between Australia's front four quicks makes the attack one of the most formidable in Test cricket, with three himself, Hazlewood and Starc occupying three of the top 15 ICC men's Test bowling rankings.

This is before considering Boland, whose 28 wickets at 13.4 is coupled with the fifth quickest strike in Test bowling history.

Cummins said the English conditions and Duke's ball are expected to suit Boland, however urged patience on the 34-year-old, who hasn't played in England since the Australia's Indigenous IX tour of 2018

"In Australia you can get passages of play where the Kookaburra doesn't do much and the wicket is quite flat," Cummins said.

"Because the ball does talk a little more here, I've seen players get too caught up in trying to take wickets every ball because you've suddenly got the ball swinging and seaming.

"With someone like Scotty, it's just a really simple game plan, you hit your good areas and you stay there all day and hopefully the ball will do the work for you."

The World Test Championship final begins Wednesday evening (Australia time) with the Ashes to commence on 16 June.