Bollinger, McDonald in XI
02/01/2009 1:18 PM
New South Wales pace bowler Doug Bollinger and Victorian allrounder Andrew McDonald have been announced as replacements in the Australian XI for the third Test at the SCG starting on Saturday.
Bollinger outpointed Ben Hilfenhaus for Brett Lee's spot while McDonald will come into the team at the expense of injured allrounder Andrew Symonds.
Both players will be making their Test debut and along with Peter Siddle (three Tests) and Nathan Hauritz (three Tests) make up a young and inexperienced line-up to face the on-fire Proteas as they chase the No.1 Test ranking.
Captain Ricky Ponting said the decision to go for Bollinger had everything to do with the left-armer's familiarity with the SCG wicket.
"(The decision) obviously had a lot to do with his overall skills in the type of conditions that we're going to be confronted with here at the SCG," he said.
"He's got a very good record here, I think five or six five-fors in five or six games here at the SCG at six wickets (against South Australia) in his last game here for New South Wales."
"He obviously knows the conditions very well and will swing the new ball for us hopefully and he's got very good skills with the old ball."
Since his return from India, the lively left-armer has taken 14 wickets in three Weet-Bix Sheffield Shield outings for the Blues at an average of 22.14.
There was little doubt about the inclusion of McDonald who has compiled 1619 runs at an average of 52.22 and taken 57 wickets at 30.47 in first-class cricket for Victoria since the 2006-07 summer.