As the cricketing world gears up for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 at Lord’s, Australia finds themselves in an enviable yet complex situation: choosing the right pace attack for a one-off final in challenging England conditions.
Australia faces a pace puzzle ahead of the WTC 2025 final against South Africa
Australia are looking for the right third seamer to complement Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc in the fast-bowling attack. While Cummins will lead the team with his characteristic aggression and Starc provides left-arm variation and pace, the real debate lies between Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland. Both are outstanding red-ball bowlers with contrasting profiles. Hazlewood, with years of experience, brings classical Test match skills and proven credentials in English conditions. Boland, however, has emerged as an unrelenting and accurate force in recent years, most notably in the 2023 WTC Final and during the Ashes on home soil. With conditions at Lord’s expected to offer seam movement and assistance to disciplined fast bowling, Australia must now decide whether to stick with experience or back current form.
Josh Hazlewood brings a wealth of experience and a strong record in England
Hazlewood has been a mainstay in Australia’s pace attack for nearly a decade. With 72 Tests under his belt and 279 wickets at an excellent average of 24.57, Hazlewood offers the kind of control, discipline, and seam bowling expertise that thrive in English conditions. His upright seam position and ability to maintain a probing line make him a handful in helpful environments. More importantly, Hazlewood has a track record at Lord’s, having played three Tests at the iconic ground and taken 13 wickets at 26.15. Across 13 Tests in England, he has scalped 52 wickets at 26.07, a testament to his adaptability and mastery of Dukes-ball conditions. Despite battling injuries over the past few years, Hazlewood’s class and consistency in pressure games, like his strong showing in the 2019 Ashes, make him a compelling pick for the final. If Australia chooses familiarity and experience, Hazlewood is the safer, more established choice.
| Hazlewood Test Stats | Overall | In England | At Lord’s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matches Played | 72 | 13 | 3 |
| Wickets Taken | 279 | 52 | 13 |
| Bowling Average | 24.57 | 26.07 | 26.15 |
| Best Bowling in Innings | 6/67 | 5/30 | 5/30 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls | 12 | 2 | 1 |
| Strike Rate | 53 | 59 | 60.9 |
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Scott Boland offers incredible form, control and strike power
Boland has redefined late-bloomer success stories in Australian cricket. Since his Test debut in 2021, Boland has taken 56 wickets in just 13 matches at a staggering average of 17.66 and a strike rate of 38. His performance in the 2023 WTC Final at The Oval, where he dismissed both Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, cemented his reputation as a big-match bowler. His unwavering control outside the off-stump and ability to extract subtle movement make him a consistent wicket-taker. However, Boland’s performances in England have been underwhelming so far. In three Tests on English soil, he has taken only 7 wickets at an average of 48.00 and a strike rate of 71.1, well below his career standards. Notably, he hasn’t played at Lord’s, having been left out during the 2023 Ashes Test there. While Boland’s recent form and performance under pressure are remarkable, his lack of success in England leaves a gap in his otherwise stellar resume.
| Boland Test Stats | Overall | In England | WTC Final 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matches Played | 13 | 3 | 1 |
| Wickets Taken | 56 | 7 | 5 |
| Bowling Average | 17.66 | 48.00 | 13.50 (approx.) |
| Best Bowling in Innings | 6/7 | 3/46 | 3/46 |
| Strike Rate | 38 | 71.1 | 31.2 |
| Economy Rate | 2.77 | 4.04 | 2.5 (approx.) |
| 5-Wicket Hauls | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Head-to-head comparison
When comparing both bowlers side-by-side, the contrast becomes sharper. Hazlewood has a long and accomplished Test career with proven success in England, particularly at Lord’s. His 12 five-wicket hauls and consistent Ashes performances make him a pillar of experience. Boland, meanwhile, has much better averages and strike rates but with a smaller sample size. He hasn’t played at Lord’s and his Test matches in England have been less impactful. But selectors cannot overlook his ability to rise to big occasions, like the WTC Final and home Ashes. Both bowlers maintain an identical economy rate of 2.77, suggesting that both are control merchants. The real divide lies in experience versus recency—Hazlewood the seasoned campaigner, Boland the form bowler.
| Metric | Josh Hazlewood | Scott Boland |
|---|---|---|
| Wickets Taken | 279 | 56 |
| Bowling Average | 24.57 | 17.66 |
| Strike Rate | 53 | 38 |
| Economy Rate | 2.77 | 2.77 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls | 12 | 1 |
| Tests in England | 13 (52 wickets) | 3 (7 wickets) |
| Avg in England | 26.07 | 48.00 |
| Experience at Lord’s | 3 Tests (13 wkts) | 0 Tests |
| WTC Final 2023 | Did not play | Played, bowled well |