Boland wary of helpful South African pitches

While many of Scott Boland’s Australia teammates are delighted to have left behind the dry, turning decks of Sri Lanka for the seamer-friendly pitches of South Africa, the Victoria pace bowler is yet to be convinced.

So bare and slow were the wickets rolled out by Sri Lanka for the limited-overs series that Australia won 4-1 it made life decidedly more difficult for batters than bowlers, with no side reaching 300 in their 10 completed innings. 

Boland, who was a late starter in that campaign having joined the touring party still nursing a hairline fracture in his right hand, admits he was a beneficiary of the extreme conditions and duly returned the most economical spells of his 10-match ODI career. 

But he needed to look no further than the change rooms at Johannesburg’s cavernous Wanderers Stadium, where Australia held their first training session of their month-long Qantas Tour of South Africa today, to understand that this will be a vastly different challenge.

The same rooms where, 11 years earlier, Ricky Ponting’s Australia team had basked in the mid-match glow of a record ODI total of 434 set against the shell-shocked Proteas, only to see the target chased down with a ball to spare amid famously euphoric scenes.

A match that most South African like to discuss with Australian visitors every opportunity they get.

"Hopefully the wickets are a bit more like Australia, fast and bouncy," Boland said today as the world champions began their preparation for next Tuesday’s tour opener, a one-off ODI against Ireland at Benoni.

"But in one-day cricket I think they try to make the wickets as flat as possible.

"We’ll hopefully be prepared for that and that’s why we’re here nice and early, to get ready to bowl on these wickets after coming from Sri Lanka.

"It was the first time I’d played in Sri Lanka, the first time I’d been there so it was a good experience.

"Because there was no grass on the wickets (in Sri Lanka) there was a lot of natural variation for you, so you didn’t have to actually change a lot in your action.

"The wicket did it for you, and when you’re doing that it makes it a lot harder for the batters as well."

Image Id: 65E5B09B78EB4D2FB8C1A5178B6A1F47 Image Caption: The Australians look on after the Wanderers epic // Getty

Conditions are expected to be far more batter friendly in South Africa, especially at the Wanderers where Australia tackles South Africa in the second of their five-match series on October 2.

As Boland’s Victoria bowling coach Mick Lewis noted through gritted teeth before the 27-year-old, along with fellow Victoria-based quicks John Hastings and Chris Tremain, headed for South Africa this week.

Lewis was the major casualty of that South African batting blitz in 2006, with his return of 0-113 in his final appearance for Australia remaining the most expensive 10-over spell by a bowler in an ODI.

"He did mention it," Boland conceded when asked if Lewis had dared recall that record-breaking day of more than a decade ago to his young charge.

"He said he liked bowling over here (in South Africa) apart from that one game.

"It was like bowling in Australia, on the bouncy wickets at the Gabba and the WACA."

The only player from that game still involved at international level is South Africa’s ODI skipper AB de Villiers, but his participation in the series – and the three-Test tour to Australia that immediately follows – will be dictated by the fitness he undertakes on his injured left elbow next Tuesday.

If the Proteas’ medical staff rule that de Villiers has not sufficiently recovered from the impingement syndrome problem that has seen him sidelined since August, the 32-year-old will be sent for surgery that will rule him out of action for up to two months.

Read more: De Villiers in doubt for Aussie Tests

Boland admitted he was conflicted as to whether he would be pleased or disappointed if the world’s top-ranked ODI batter was not standing at the other end as he charged in with the ball over coming weeks.

"Obviously when you don’t have to bowl to one of the best batters in the world it’s a good thing," Bolnd said.

"But I’m sure the crowds here would love to see him playing.

"I’ve never played against him, so it (his possible absence) is probably a good thing."

While Boland admits he has learned much since making his ODI debut against India in Australia last summer, he is still unwilling to classify himself as one of the ‘old hands’ of Australia’s revamped ODI attack.

Which, for this tour, includes three uncapped seamers – Tremain and South Australia pair Daniel Worrall and Joe Mennie.

But even though they represent one of the most inexperienced pace bowling groups Australia has taken into an overseas tour in recent decades, Boland does not foresee any issues in having them gel as a unit.

Partly because of the strong Victorian influence, that also includes new assistant coach (and former Victoria supremo) David Saker who is joined on this tour by consultant coach and former Australia Test quick Ryan Harris.

"Sakes (Saker) was saying before we need to get a few more Vics in," Boland joked about the change from the heavily New South Wales-centric squads of the recent past.

"It’s good to have Trem (Tremain) on board so hopefully he can play a few games and do really well, and we’ve got Wadey as well.

"So there’s a lot of familiar faces.

"I think Hasto (Hastings) has done so well in the last 12 months for Australia that he’s really excited to be leading our attack.

"He always comes up with some new plans as soon as we’re out there and communicates to everyone really well, so I’m sure that will continue.

"I’ve played a bit with Dan Worrall in the past, he was from Victoria, and I played a four-day game with Joe Mennie.

"So I think as long as we’re communicating openly when we’re out on the field I’m sure we’ll gel really well."

In addition to the doubts surrounding de Villiers’ availability, South Africa revealed today that all-rounder Chris Morris will also miss the next two months after succumbing to a persistent knee injury.

Morris, who made a name recently as a high-priced signing for the Indian Premier League, has been battling the knee problem for eight months and team manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee confirmed that he has been told to take an extended break from the game.

"The injury has flared up considerably over the last two weeks leaving us with no option but rest and rehabilitation to allow the knee time to fully recover," Dr Moosajee said.

"He will take no further part in the match against Ireland (on Sunday) and the series against Australia, and will target a return back to international cricket for the Test series against Sri Lanka in December." 

Morris has been replaced in the Proteas squad for the series against Australia that begins at Centurion next Friday by fellow all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius.