23/11/2009 12:14 PM
South Australia has welcomed back Mark Cosgrove and Chris Duval from injury ahead of its Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania at Bellerive Oval beginning on Tuesday.
Cosgrove has recovered from the hamstring injury which kept him out of the team's last clash against the Bulls while Duval has missed two matches with a stomach strain.
The duo replaces Tom Cooper and Cullen Bailey.
Cosgrove's recall should ensure the Redbacks maintain a healthy run-rate, something they struggled to do in their first innings against Queensland, while Duval, a former Tigers player, adds some much needed depth to the bowling stocks.
South Australia recorded an outright victory in its opening game this season but has managed to take just nine wickets against Victoria and 15 against Queensland since.
Redbacks coach Mark Sorell says Duval will offer good support to the team's other pace men.
"Our young guys have carried a fairly big load as has Daniel Christian when we've had three quicks and a spinner," Sorell said.
"To get Chris back in and around the group is fairly important, he's got a bit more experience, and he'll certainly help with our younger bowlers in George and Haberfield to have someone in there taking some overs."
Sorell said Duval's four-year stint in Tasmania would also prove handy.
"We've got a bit of information from Chris about these guys, he's played a fair bit of cricket with all of them obviously and he's looking forward to getting back and playing against his former team-mates," he said.
Cosgrove replaces Cooper who has scored freely this season but hasn't managed to post a big score this summer.
It was a horses-for-courses decision which worked against leg-spinner Bailey who wasn't considered a match-winning option away from home.
Tasmania collected its first points of the Shield summer last week and will be desperate to record an outright victory at home.
Captain George Bailey will be full of confidence after hitting a ton against New South Wales and then performing well in the Twenty20 exhibition match on Sunday night while Dan Marsh was named man-of-the-match for his 134 against the Blues.
The home side's bowling stocks have also been strengthened by the return of Brett Geeves, who missed the team's last match with a side strain, while James Faulkner has also been included in the 13-man squad.
Xavier Doherty has been left out of the side.