Brendan Doggett ready to step up if Ashes call comes, says coach Ryan Harris

Melbourne [Australia], September 11 (ANI): Brendan Doggett is in the prime of his career, and South Australia coach Ryan Harris believes he is ready to step into Test cricket during the Ashes if the opportunity arises, as per ESPNcricinfo.

Doggett was part of the Australian Test squad last season, having first earned a call-up back in 2018 for the series against Pakistan in the UAE. He also travelled as a reserve for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa.

The pacer was supposed to tour the West Indies but pulled out due to a hip injury. Now fit again, he is expected to start the season for South Australia, the double defending Shield champions. However, his workload will be monitored in conjunction with the national team management.

Australia's pace-bowling depth has once again come into focus with skipper Pat Cummins suffering from a back injury. While Scott Boland remains the first in line for a spot in the playing XI, Doggett could be just one more injury away from making his debut.

"He's had a really good winter," Harris said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

"He came back from the World Test Championship with a couple of niggles (but) he had good time to let them heal," he added.

"He had a really good programme that he was following and he was diligent. We didn't take him to Darwin in our pre-season camp and let him just get himself right down here," he noted.

"We've got a couple of trial games (this week) which he'll bowl some good overs in. But what I've seen in training, he's up and about. He's ready to go. He's bowling fast and he's moving the ball, which is good. He'll definitely start for us," he said.

Doggett forced his way into the Test squad last season on the back of some standout performances. He picked up career-best figures of 6/15 against India A in Mackay, and capped off the summer with a match haul of 11 wickets in the Sheffield Shield final, where South Australia defeated Queensland to lift the title. He ended the season with 44 wickets at an average of 20.56, following on from 32 wickets at 21.90 the previous year.

"He's definitely ready (for Test cricket)," Harris said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

"(With) his mind, I think, and the confidence he has now in his game. He was a bit mixed (up) probably a couple of years ago where he was trying to swing it and he wasn't trying to swing it, but he's worked it all out," he noted.

"He knows what he needs to do. He knows when he has step it up and bowl quick and knows he can control his pace. He's in the prime of his career now. There's no doubt that if Brendan gets a call, I have absolute full confidence in that he can go in and do a good job in that team," he added.

As the Ashes approach, the selectors face the challenge of giving their fast bowlers enough overs under the belt without overworking them. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are expected to feature in the ODIs against India and possibly one Sheffield Shield game for New South Wales ahead of the first Test, while Boland should get at least two Shield matches with Victoria. Lance Morris, meanwhile, has been ruled out for a year after back surgery.

All-rounder Cameron Green has been left out from the T20I tour of New Zealand so that he can play for Western Australia in the first round of the Sheffield Shield, which could mark his return to bowling after surgery last year.

Cummins himself, speaking earlier this week, expressed, "We feel really well placed."

"A lot of planning goes in. It's not just a month before, it's 12 months out. Someone like Jhye Richardson, hopefully he will be available for some of the summer. There's (Michael) Neser. Brendan Doggett was part of squads last year. Sean Abbott. So I'm really confident in our depth," he added, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

"Obviously there is a bit of Shield cricket and white-ball cricket before that to make sure everyone is up and raring to go," he added.

However, players involved in the one-day leg of the Australia A tour of India or the T20I series in New Zealand will miss the opening round of Sheffield Shield games, beginning October 4. The men's domestic season gets underway on September 16 with the 50-over Dean Jones Trophy. (ANI)

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