Josh Hazlewood eyes Scott Boland alliance for Australia's huge Test run

By Doug Mattushek
30th July 2026

Josh Hazlewood is hoping for the chance to bowl alongside Scott Boland instead of in his place as Australia look ahead to a bumper Test season.

Death, taxes and Hazlewood- Starc- Cummins charging in with the red ball in hand. The trio have become the stuff of legends for the Baggy Greens, dismantling battling lineups all over the world.

But a new seamer has become hard to ignore. The metronomical Boland has racked up international wickets at an alarming rate, with 82 coming in just 19 Tests at a miserly 18.58 average. And his form has continued in first-class cricket this season. The right-hander scooped 16 wickets in three matches for Victoria over February and March.

However, Boland can't quite find his way into the Australia XI when the big three are fully fit, unless it's at the expense of the spinner.

Speaking to the press this week, Hazlewood knows Australia's strength lies in depth.

"I'd love to play more with Scotty," Hazlewood said during a training camp in Brisbane on Thursday, as per ESPN.

"We're obviously a little bit similar, but I think there's still a lot of differences in our bowling. Every time he's come in, he's done unbelievably well. His career just keeps getting better and better the older he gets.

"I think there's enough opportunities in the next 12 months, 18 months for us to play a lot of cricket hopefully together, that'd be a nice one to tick off. But I think as four quicks, we've got Ness [Michael Neser] and Doggy [Brendan Doggett] there as well. So I think we'll have to lean on all six at some point in the next sort of 18 months."

Those 18 months Hazlewood is referring to consist of an outrageous number of Tests. Australia has 20, possibly, 21 Tests if they make the WTC Final, to navigate with an ageing group of bowlers.

"This group's been together for quite a long time now, the majority of it, anyway," he added.

"The big series are obviously England and India. I haven't won in South Africa either, so there's three that are coming up that are a few boxes to tick off there for not just me but from this whole playing group.

"I guess that's been a driving factor during this prep, sort of in the back of your head, and even the months leading into it. Some real big Test series, and they're all away, obviously those big ones. Tough competition, and hopefully we get the job done."

Australia get their red-ball season underway with a two-Test series against Bangladesh Down Under, starting 13 August.