Scott Boland brushes off Mike Atherton’s criticism: ‘They can say what they want’

“I’ve got my own internal motivations for what I want to do during the summer. I’m never going into a game just middling along. There’s always some motivation for me to try and either come into the team and try to put in a really good performance to try and keep my spot. There’s so many good fast bowlers in Australia that just don’t want to give anyone an inch.” Boland was speaking at the MCG on Tuesday after it was learnt that the MCC Foundation will deliver the National Indigenous Cricket Championships and a training camp at the ground for three more years.

WATCH: SCOTT BOLAND IN ACTION IN SHEFFIELD SHIELD

This Scott Boland dismissal of Ollie Davies caused quite the stir in the #SheffieldShield! pic.twitter.com/F6ii5kgjXI

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 17, 2025

Boland talked about the Ashes and the chance that he might not be in the playing XI if Pat Cummins recovers in time to play with Josh Hazlewood and Mitch Starc.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited by what’s coming up this summer. Every summer that comes up, I want to be in the team and playing a part. I’m still happy being 12th man if I do miss out, because I know I’m next in line if something does happen, or if they want a change of change of bowler, or if they want to play four quicks, which probably won’t happen in Australia. But there’s nothing better than being in the Australian squad for a test something like this.”

Boland said he was “stressing” a bit about his form ahead of Ashes, but he has been amongst wickets now.

“I was probably stressing about it a bit too much from what I usually do,” Boland said of his struggles at times with the ball this week. Sometimes that just happens. I just want to find my rhythm as quick as I can in a game. Sometimes that happens in half a spell, sometimes it takes a bit longer. I felt like I was able to hang in enough to bowl some spells and get some wickets for the team.”