South Australia may look to spin its way to victory in its Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria as Cullen Bailey breaks into the Redbacks' 12-man squad for the match starting on Friday.
The Adelaide Oval pitch is not known for prestigious spin before Christmas but with the slow bowlers claiming nine of 31 wickets (including four to all-rounder Aaron O'Brien) in the opening Shield game at the ground, Bailey has come into calculations.
Redbacks coach Mark Sorell said the turn seen in that match against Tasmania could work in the leg-spinner's favour this time around.
"With it (the pitch) being under the covers for as long as it was, we didn't expect it to be like that but it gripped and turned quite nicely," Sorell said.
"He (Bailey) picked up some wickets in the Futures game not that long ago. He feels like they are coming out well, feels confident so that's important, so like I said we'll make sure we get the right balance come game day."
South Australia will be forced to make at least two changes to its line-up with Mark Cleary (back) and Chris Duval (stomach) still struggling with their injuries.
If Bailey gets the nod, the final pace position will go to Jake Haberfield (who was 12th man against Tasmania) or the forgotten man of Redbacks cricket Allan Wise.
Wise was a big signing for South Australia last season but didn't have the impact he would have liked with his new state. Sorell said he had a chance to climb up the pecking order if he performs this week.
"He started ok with us and then he got injured in the game in Sydney and then he missed out for a bit and some young guys came in and probably took his place and performed pretty well," Sorell said on Wise's first season with the Redbacks.
"He has worked on swinging the ball more in the off-season and he's come back doing that, so we think that's a good asset for Allan which is a bonus given his height."
"We know he's pretty tight with his bowling but to be able to swing it is an added bonus."
Meanwhile the Bushrangers will be dusting of the whites for their first Shield clash of the summer after making the Champions League Twenty20 finals in India.
David Hussey will skipper the side with Cameron White on Australian duties in India, while Peter Siddle and Jon Holland are also away with the national side.
Nick Jewell, Chris Rogers and Lloyd Mash are in the squad for the first time this season after missing the Champions League Twenty20 while John Hastings has been rewarded for his strong finish to last season's first-class competition and is likely to be in the starting XI.
Victorian coach Greg Shipperd is confident the side can produce their best at Adelaide Oval despite a limited build-up to the contest.
"It is a big challenge for our players to switch mindsets and the physical challenges are different as well," Shipperd said of going straight from Twenty20 cricket in India to Shield cricket.
"The bowlers instead of bowling four overs a day now have to go in and think about bowling 20-25 overs a day, so the management of our group early in the season is going to be critical for us to start the season well - which has been one of our strengths."