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Ben Hilfenhaus embodies what the Australian Test team has experienced over the past 12 months as he reaps the rewards of going back to the drawing board.
The fast bowler was crushed by last summer’s Ashes defeat, but like the overhaul Australia has undergone, a year later Hilfenhaus appears to be back.
The Tasmanian had never previously taken a five-wicket haul in his 17-Test career, but in his comeback matches in Melbourne and Sydney against India this summer, he’s claimed two back-to-back.
On a flat track in Sydney on day four, Hilfenhaus sparked the quick finish to the game with an emphatic performance which included the scalps of Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and MS Dhoni.
It gave the 28-year-old a career-best eight wickets for the match and he has 15 wickets for the Test series so far.
Despite the brilliance of Peter Siddle and James Pattinson, Hilfenhaus is the leading wicket-taker and the owner of the best average – 18.06 – for the series.
That’s a fair improvement on his Ashes disaster where he took just seven wickets in four matches and was carted for 415 runs.
He was disappointing on Australia A’s tour of Zimbabwe midway through 2011, and wasn’t considered for the back-to-back tours to Sri Lanka and South Africa.
But Hilfenhaus has found a new rhythm and totally justified his surprise recall for the Boxing Day Test.
“There’s no coincidence, that’s why we picked him for Melbourne, and again here. He’s a very good bowler of the swinging ball,” said captain Michael Clarke, who will need Hilfenhaus to rise again in Perth and Adelaide, particularly with Pattinson ruled out of the remaining matches with a left foot injury.
“He can bowl a lot of overs if the wicket does get flat as we’ve seen here and he’s got his pace back which is great for the team.
“Hilf’s been around the group, in and out, for a long period of time now and we know what he can do so it’s really pleasing to see him back at his best and getting rewards like today.”
Hilfenhaus said he had plenty to work on, and was delighted with his second coming for Australia.
“I just had a few technical things and I needed to get myself switched on again and be bowling the pace I need to be bowling at this level,” Hilfenhaus told Channel Nine.
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