Batting prodigy Will Pucovski, cult hero fast bowler Scott Boland, and dasher Matt Short will look to impress on what the curator hopes is a quick MCG pitch against a NSW side featuring ‘The GOAT’ Nathan Lyon.
Batting prodigy Will Pucovski will return for Victoria against NSW at the MCG on Thursday, with the drop-in pitch expected to provide an indication of what will be on offer on the Test stage come Boxing Day.Scott Boland will rejoin the Victorian side, the former having opted to stay home and miss what was a loss to Queensland in Mackay, while the latter was rested as part of Cricket Australia’s management program.
“There’s a fair bit of thought around what Scotty is going to be able to do for Australia and how much he is going to have to bowl throughout the Test series,” Rogers told SEN.What should buoy Boland’s hopes is a chat Rogers had with MCG curator Matt Page. There is always a great focus on the drop-in pitches ahead of the marquee Test of the summer, but ground officials have worked assiduously to reinvigorate the decks and provide real pace and bounce in recent seasons.
Emerging batting bully Matt Short will have another chance to press for international red-ball selection – Rogers suggesting his name will soon be called because he can turn a game with his power hitting.