Scott Boland will complete his preparation for Australia’s Test tour of South Africa by representing Victoria in a floodlit One-Day Cup fixture this Friday. The 37-year-old seamer is scheduled to face New South Wales at Junction Oval on September 25 before joining the national squad for their departure on September 27.
Boland returns to South Africa for the first time since a difficult 2016 ODI series where Australia suffered a 0-5 sweep. The fast bowler noted he has few recollections of that tour.
“I can’t remember anything. To be fair, I know on field we didn’t go that well. We had a really inexperienced bowling attack. But apart from that, I can’t remember anything. I don’t remember where we were. I don’t know if I’ve just binned that memory because it didn’t go well,” Boland said.
Now a veteran member of the red-ball setup, Boland indicated that his approach to training has shifted to prioritize longevity and workload management.
“I think ten years ago, I probably over-trained and would go into games, especially the back-end of series, fatigued. And I think now, obviously being a bit older, wanting my career to go for as long as I can, sort of prioritising the way I train, how I train, and sort of mapping it out a bit better,” he explained.
The three-match series, which begins in Durban on October 9, carries World Test Championship (WTC) implications. Australia currently leads the WTC standings, while South Africa occupies second place as the defending champions following their 2025 final victory.
This tour represents Australia’s first Test visit to South Africa since 2018. Only six members of the current 16-man squad possess previous experience in South African conditions. The third Test, scheduled for Cape Town on October 27, marks a return to Newlands, the site of the 2018 ball-tampering incident.
Boland’s inclusion in the squad provides a high-reliability rotation option for the pace attack led by Pat Cummins. The squad also retains Marnus Labuschagne, despite the batter averaging 24.69 across his last 43 innings without a century.
Following the first Test in Durban, the series will move to Gqeberha on October 18 before concluding in Cape Town.
