Scott Boland admits he was uncomfortable having Alex Carey positioned so close to the stumps at the start of the Ashes, though Australia have reaped the rewards of that aggressive approach.

Australia only needed 11 days of play to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, ahead of the fourth Test – in Melbourne – starting on Boxing Day. 

Australia are on a six-match winning streak in red-ball cricket and have won 10 of their last 11 matches in the format. 

The last time they won more successive Tests was a seven-match stretch between December 2009 and July 2010.

Australia's method of blunting England's batting has revolved around Carey, who has been involved in 2.72 fielding dismissals per innings in the Ashes during his career. 

That is the most of any player to feature in more than two Ashes Tests, while his 3.16 dismissals per innings in the current Ashes series are second only to Chris Read's average of four per innings in 2006-07.

Boland has been one of the major beneficiaries of Carey standing up at the stumps, taking 11 wickets across the first three Tests – only Mitchel Starc (22) and Brydon Carse (14) have more.

"Because I've never really had it before, I just didn't really feel comfortable with it," Boland said ahead of the fourth Test.

"I know everyone wants to be a fast bowler, and you don't really like to see the keeper up at the stumps, but I've seen over the last month how effective it is and how I can still keep their batter by Alex being up to the stumps.

"In the past, when I've had the keeper up at the back, I haven't felt that comfortable and you end up bowling a little bit fuller. 

"But I've got full trust in Cares that if I hit my normal length and if the ball does go above the stumps, he's got amazing hands and has been really keeping the pressure on the English batters."

Boland also revealed he and Carey have been given freedom to decide when to adopt the approach, saying: "The best thing is we speak every couple of overs, and if he's feeling that it's better off being back, then I trust him.

"If he's like, 'no, I want to come up, I think we can trap him on the crease,' then I'll back his judgment."

Boland has taken 123 first-class wickets at the Melbourne Cricket Ground since making his first-class debut in November 2011, at least 49 more than any other player has managed at the venue in that time (ahead of Peter Siddle with 74). 

And since the beginning of 2021, Boland has taken 46 wickets at an average of 16.8 at the MCG, including match figures of 6-96 against India in his most recent match there.