Brendan Doggett has been on the selectors’ radar for a while, but a six-wicket burst on his Sheffield Shield return has nudged him closer than ever to an Ashes squad place – even if a debut at Perth still feels a long shot.
The 31-year-old pacer, fresh from figures of 6 for 48 and 1 for 38 for South Australia against Western Australia at the WACA, is expected to be named on Wednesday as cover for Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland. Pat Cummins has already been ruled out of the first Test, yet the likelihood is that Doggett travels as next cab off the rank rather than walks straight into the XI.
He has not, at the time of writing, received the call. That has not stopped him keeping the phone close.
“Absolutely. [I’ve] been waiting for this for a long time,” Doggett said. “I feel like if I do get a call to join that squad, I’ll be ready. And then we’ll see what happens.”
An awkward hamstring strain – sustained, somewhat unusually, while batting in the One-Day Cup opener on 20 September – cost him the opening two Shield rounds. South Australia’s medical staff and Cricket Australia took a cautious line, mindful of his value as fast-bowling depth for the five-Test series against England. The patience appears to have paid off.
“To get injured batting is unlike me,” he admitted. “It was unfortunate. There’s not much I can control in that. So it was just about getting my rehab right and trying to get back as soon as I could to play for South Australia.”
That return could hardly have been timed better. The WACA surface was flattish, offering modest carry, yet Doggett found sideways movement with the new ball and brisk pace from his 1.96-metre frame. Selectors noted the combination during last season’s Shield final on another benign track at Karen Rolton Oval, where his match haul of 11 wickets delivered South Australia a first title in 29 years.
Between domestic commitments he headed to Durham for three County Championship fixtures in April and early May, grabbing nine wickets before another niggle curtailed the stint and saw him flown home for rehab ahead of the World Test Championship final and subsequent West Indies tour.
“I really enjoyed my time in Durham,” Doggett said. The injury, he reckons, owed something to the heavy workload that climaxed with 46.5 overs in that Shield decider, followed by long-haul travel and unfamiliar spring conditions in the north-east of England.
Those experiences, though, strengthened his case. On flatter Test pitches – and Perth often counts as one nowadays – his ability to swing the new ball while still hitting the splice makes him an attractive fourth-seamer option should any of the incumbents break down. He is also seen as a workhorse who can hold length once the Kookaburra softens.
Former Test quick Ryan Harris, part of Cricket Australia’s fast-bowling programme, likes the trajectory. “Brendan’s got that knack of getting good batters nicking off even when nothing’s happening,” Harris told ABC radio. “He’s not express pace every ball, but he’s relentless and, importantly, he’s fit now.”
South Australia coach Jason Gillespie echoed those thoughts, adding that Doggett’s batting, though rarely required, brings a stubborn edge at No. 10. “He fights. That helps in Test cricket when you suddenly need 25 runs for a first-innings lead.”
Selection, of course, is one thing; a cap is another. Starc, Hazlewood and Boland remain clear first choices, with Michael Neser also pushing from the fringes. Doggett accepts that reality yet believes the resilience learned from injuries will stand him in good stead if the chance finally comes.
Shield duties resume next week and, should the phone still stay silent, he intends to keep bowling overs rather than carrying drinks. The message to the panel is unambiguous: form and fitness are both in order.
There is, understandably, excitement among Redbacks team-mates. Travis Head recalled the 11-for in the final. “He was the difference,” Head said. “If he gets his go in the Ashes, he won’t be overawed.”
For now, though, Doggett is content to wait. “I feel like I’ve done everything I can,” he told local reporters. “If it happens, brilliant. If not, I’ll keep taking wickets.”
Australia announce their squad on Wednesday morning. A pacer who once could not crack Queensland’s first XI might finally see his name on an Ashes list – even if, initially, the job is simply to be ready.
