Ashes bolter Xavier Doherty rates himself a much better spinner than his first-class average suggests and has vowed to make an immediate impact at the Gabba next week.
Doherty was “over the moon” on Saturday after being included in Australia’s 13-man squad ahead of incumbent tweaker Nathan Hauritz, the Tasmanian given strong indication he would make his Test debut on Thursday.
The Tasmanian left-arm spinner, who turns 28 on Monday, averages a modest 48 at first-class level and only last season won his place back in the Tigers Sheffield Shield outfit following a three-year stint as a specialist white-ball bowler.
His ascension to the Test team comes on the back of a brilliant four-wicket one day international debut in Melbourne three weeks ago and some fine Shield form this season (11 wickets at 27.45).
An overnight sensation 10 years in the making, Doherty said he had matured through his “love-hate relationship with Shield cricket”, claiming his record was an unfair reflection of his ability.
“I average 48, which isn’t pretty, but that 48 is over 35 games and my first 25 games I averaged 60 or something like that,” he said.
“In the last 10 I average something like 30 and that’s the form I’ve been picked on.
“I’ve got the chance to make an impact and I feel I’m in pretty good form and can do that, but the ball is in my court to have some sort impact and stamp my authority on the spinner’s spot.”
In fact, Doherty has taken 23 wickets at 26 in the six Shield matches he’s played since returning to the Tigers attack last season.
On the outer for three years when former Test off-spinner Jason Krejza moved south from NSW in 2006, the left-armer pinpointed his subsequent axing as his turning point.
“It was a real kick up the bum for me, I went from playing all forms of the game to only playing 10 games a year in one-day cricket, but that burning desire to get back into the four-day team for Tassie is what really spurred me on,” Doherty said.
A fast bowler as a teenager, when he was coached by Test fast bowling mentor Troy Cooley, Doherty said the time out helped him learn how to best play his role as both a containing and attacking spinner.
“There will be times where I have to hold up that one end and let the quicks go from the other and there will be times where I need to attack and take the wickets that are needed,” he said
“Even in the last two weeks for Tassie I’ve played both those roles so I think I can fit into whatever is asked of me.”
He follows Stuart MacGill, Brad Hogg, Krejza, Beau Casson, Cameron White, Bryce McGain, squad member Steve Smith and Hauritz as Australia’s Test spinners since Shane Warne retired.
The 13-man squad will gather in Brisbane on Sunday evening.
Squad: Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke (vc), Simon Katich, Shane Watson, Mike Hussey, Marcus North, Brad Haddin, Xavier Doherty, Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle, Doug Bollinger.
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