Scott Boland showcased his exceptional talent during the Sheffield Shield match between Victoria and New South Wales at the SCG, achieving his career-best first-class bowling figures. In a stunning performance, Boland took 4-56 in the first innings, followed by a remarkable 6-46 in the second, culminating in match figures of 10-102. This impressive display strengthens his prospects for selection in the upcoming World Test Championship final in June.
Despite Boland’s efforts, Victoria could not secure a win, collapsing to 5-31 early in their innings, with Marcus Harris and Peter Handscomb dismissed cheaply. NSW set a challenging target of 231 runs after Boland’s contributions helped restrict them to 174 in their second innings. Young batsman Sam Konstas, who struggled against Boland in both innings, was among other dismissals, highlighting the veteran’s effectiveness.
In a valiant attempt to chase down the target, Test spinner Todd Murphy provided some resistance with an unbeaten 40 runs but ultimately, Victoria lost by 76 runs. The victory for NSW lifted them off the bottom of the Shield ladder, while Victoria remained just behind South Australia in the standings.