Scott Boland's rapid rise to cricketing royalty has not spontaneously happened. Any cricketing tragic would know Boland has meticulously developed his robotic line and length over several years.
Boland leads the 2021/22 summer wickets column with 35 at 11.82 and has 129 at 20.47 from his last four summers, definitely not just a flash in the pan.
Boland finished his first test series with 18 wickets at 9.55. The last bowler to take 15 or more wickets at an average of less than 10 was Jim Laker in his famous 1956 series. Before that, it was Bobby Peel in 1888.
Below I have gone through history and looked at some of the most outstanding debut test series between Australia and England.
5. Grey-haired David Steele courageously takes on Australia attack (England 1975)
With Lillee and Thomson breathing fire, the English selectors turned to the grey-haired batter in 33-year-old David Steele, who batted in spectacles and was reported as the best player of fast bowling in England.
The English crowd hungered for a player of Steele's courage, and the astute right-hander turned his selection into a coup with 365 runs at 60.83, including five half-centuries in only three tests.
What happened next?
The following summer, Steele took on the fearsome West Indian bowling attack, scored a century at Trent Bridge, and was overlooked for England's sub-continent tour in 1976-77, finishing his Test career with 673 runs at 42.06 from eight tests.
