Test spearhead Ryan Harris will step up his pre-Ashes campaign when bowling for Queensland against South Australia in a Sheffield Shield match starting Wednesday.
Harris’ recovery from a hamstring strain comes as Redbacks batsman Michael Klinger continues his pitch for belated higher honours.
Klinger has been selected in an Australia A team to play England in Hobart next week.
The 33-year-old, with more than 11,000 top-level runs, hopes his selection is a signal that national selectors could finally reward his consistent batting feats.
“It just shows that I’m still in the Aussie selectors thoughts, which is great,” Klinger told reporters on Tuesday.
“It’s certainly an ambition and goal of mine to play for Australia in any format of the game so I’ll be doing my best to put my name forward.
“This is a good opportunity for me because they wouldn’t be picking you for Australia A if you weren’t in the mix.”
Klinger’s chance to further impress will come against Bulls paceman Harris, who will use the Shield fixture as further preparation for the Ashes series against England starting next month.
The quick has played four one-day matches since overcoming a hamstring tear, which sidelined him two months after his winter heroics in the away Ashes series in England.
But Harris has yet to bowl more than nine overs in a day since his injury.
His opponents will include Redback rookies, with 19-year-old batsman Kelvin Smith and fast bowler Elliot Opie named in SA’s 12-man squad.
Legspinner Adam Zampa, lured to SA from his home state NSW, is also expected to play in a Shield game to be played at beachside Glenelg Oval, due to ongoing redevelopment of Adelaide Oval.
Teams:
South Australia: Johan Botha (capt), Tom Cooper, Peter George, Travis Head, Michael Klinger, Tim Ludeman, Joe Mennie, Elliot Opie, Chadd Sayers, Kelvin Smith, Sam Raphael, Adam Zampa (12th man to be named)
Queensland: James Hopes (capt), Cameron Boyce, Joe Burns, Ben Cutting, Luke Feldman, Peter Forrest, Ryan Harris, Chris Hartley, Nathan Hauritz, Usman Khawaja, Greg Moller, Nathan Reardon (12th man to be named)
