South Australian coach Ryan Harris has confirmed fast bowler Brendan Doggett will take the field in his first Sheffield Shield game this summer amid interest from Australian selectors. 

The 31-year-old has been sidelined during the first two Sheffield Shield rounds with a hamstring injury and will look to use this week’s clash against WA at the WACA Ground to make his case for a possible inclusion in the Australian Test side. 

Cricket Australia confirmed captain Pat Cummins ruled out of the first Ashes Test in Perth next month, with only just started to pick up bowling loads again.

With Cummins out and under a question mark for the following tests, Scott Boland is the likely replacement in the Final XI. However, there is an opportunity for other bowlers to get the call-up to the squad. 

New South Wales’ Sean Abbott was another possible replacement, but was injured during the last Sheffield Shield round, splitting the webbing in his right hand while fielding. 

Harris says South Australia has taken a conservative approach in bringing him back from injury, with the possibility of a national call-up in mind. 

“We’ve managed him very quietly. He probably could have played the last one if we had to rush him a little bit more. There are bigger things for him potentially this summer,” he told SportFM.

“I’ve just seen the news about Pat Cummins and the uncertainty about him. He’s one that I know the Australian selectors are pretty keen on. 

“He’s built up nicely for this game, came off just a little hamstring tweak. He’s in good nick now. He’s been bowling a lot in training. We’ve had some good centre wicket stuff in Adelaide, and he’s bowling quick and swinging the ball.” 

Doggett will be a handy inclusion for the reigning Shield champions, whose title defence has gotten off to a rocky start with two losses to Queensland and Victoria. 

During last year’s title run, Doggett finished the fifth-highest shield wicket taker, with 33 wickets and an economy rate of 3.27, placing him in the top echelon of Shield bowlers. 

However, Harris says Cummins’ injury news and possible inclusion in the Australian squad have not changed Doggett’s mindset heading into the week’s clash. 

“I was talking to him about what potentially lies ahead for him this summer. He’s not thinking that way,” he said. 

“He’s trying to get to play for us, and he said it’ll take care of itself if he’s bowling well enough, that he might get selected in the Aussie squad. 

“He’s looking forward to definitely looking forward to tomorrow.” 

South Australia and Western Australia currently occupy the bottom two spots on the ladder, both starting their season winless, making this a must-win match for both sides to get the wheels in motion. 

After claiming the drought-breaking Shield title, Harris says his side isn’t short of motivation to back it up despite a shaky start.

“When you win stuff, you become the hunted, and we didn’t want to be the hunters. We are still hunting and out there making sure that we’re still trying to win trophies,” he says. 

“It’s just refocusing on what we’re doing well, making sure that we’re still doing those things, and the standards are set that are high, that we’ve set last year. We’re making sure we’re doing it all over again.

“We just haven’t quite nailed it. We’ve been dismissed out on a couple of sessions with the bat. We haven’t bowled anywhere what we should and could have.

“It doesn’t take much for these guys. They’ve had a taste of it. They know how good it is. They want to keep winning and winning trophies. I don’t have to motivate them too much. They motivate themselves.”

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