British dukes

Big Bash League: Australian pacer Scott Boland had eagerly anticipated his maiden county stint with Durham earlier this year. After watching Australia’s pace trio - Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc - march through seven consecutive Tests unscathed, Boland’s excitement to test his skills in English conditions was palpable.

However, his county stint, which was meant to last four months, ended abruptly on the very first day, with an injury that might have dashed his immediate hopes but could also, in hindsight, serve as a catalyst for long-term success.

Boland arrived at Durham more than a week before his first match, allowing ample time to acclimatise to northern England’s chilly early-season conditions. His bowling sessions went smoothly, convincing him that the knee and heel pain he had developed during Victoria’s final Sheffield Shield match of the season were behind him. This pain, born out of a rigorous new gym routine designed to boost his explosiveness for a handful of games in the Big Bash League, had seemed under control.