Boxing Day Test 2025: Scott Boland Opens for Australia After Batting at No. 11 in First Innings

Melbourne: The first day of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and England was dominated by the bowlers, with 20 wickets falling across three sessions. Australia were bundled out for 152 runs in their first innings, and England could manage only 110 runs, leaving the contest wide open.

In a surprising move, Scott Boland, who batted at No. 11 in Australia’s first innings and was dismissed for a golden duck, opened the batting for the hosts in their second innings. Boland, a fast bowler with 119 first-class matches, had never opened in his career, typically batting at 10 or 11. Yet he faced the challenge with confidence, striking a boundary in his brief stint.

Why Boland Opened
With England’s innings wrapped up before the end of the day, Australia needed to face just one over before stumps. Captain Steve Smith promoted Boland as a nightwatchman alongside Travis Head. Boland took the strike and helped shield the top-order, even managing to hit a boundary off the last ball of the over.

Historical Context
Instances of a player batting at No. 11 and opening in the same Test are rare but notable:

• Jack Leach (England) did it in 2019 against Ireland, scoring 92 as a nightwatchman after batting at No. 11 in the first innings.
• Graeme Smith (South Africa) opened in the first innings but retired hurt and batted at No. 11 in the second innings against Australia in 2009.
• Harry Butt (England), in his Test debut in 1896, also opened and batted at No. 11 in the same match against South Africa.

Boland’s unusual promotion highlights the tactical decisions teams sometimes take to protect key batsmen and manage the game’s closing sessions, adding another interesting chapter to the Boxing Day Test.