New Delhi, Sep 24 (IANS) Australian fast bowler Scott Boland will return to South Africa after 10 years, since he played his last ODI in the African nation in 2016, as he gears up for the upcoming Test series against the Proteas.

Boland is known for his Test cricket exploits, and hardly anyone remembers him playing ODIs and T20Is for Australia. He himself says he "can't remember anything" about his ODI tour of South Africa in 2016.

"I can't remember anything," Boland said on Thursday. "To be fair, I know on field we didn't go that well. We had a really inexperienced bowling attack. But apart from that, I can't remember anything. I don't remember where we were. I don't know if I've just binned that memory because it didn't go well. But I feel like ten years ago was a long time."

Boland played three ODIs in the five-match series in which the 2015 champions Australia lost 0-5 to the Proteas. The Aussies missed the likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins as Boland played with John Hastings, Chris Tremain, Joe Mennie and Dan Worrall.

He now returns to South Africa feeling far better than previously. "I haven't changed too much in terms of what I do, in terms of like how I bowl," Boland said. "But I think the biggest change is in preparing for games, knowing my body better, getting all those little things right.

"I think ten years ago, I probably over-trained and would go into games, especially the back-end of series, fatigued. And I think now, obviously being a bit older, wanting my career to go for as long as I can, sort of prioritising the way I train, how I train, and sort of mapping it out a bit better, so I can get to the end of series and still have a little bit of energy in the tank, and then I think I just know my game so much better.

"And I think a lot of guys say that as they get older, they wish they knew what they did. Same for me at 37, if I knew what I [do now] at 27, I probably would have performed better."

Boland prepared for eight weeks before the Bangladesh Tests but did not get to play. He was given a two-week rest before he came with a three-week block bowling for the 50-over contest for Victoria against New South Wales, before he leaves for South Africa.

"I was pretty keen to have two weeks of no bowling after that series," Boland said. "I felt like I was bowling really well in the nets and centre wickets up there. So when that opportunity passed, and I focused on what my re-load looked like, I was going to be bowling around 10, 12 overs this time of the year before going on Sunday, so I think this game fit in really well," he added.

--IANS

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