McGain gives it a spin

Victorian coach Greg Shipperd says forgotten leg-spinner Bryce McGain will prove he's the equal of any slow bowler in the country again this season, with the 37-year-old fit and ready for the start of the Bushrangers' Sheffield Shield season in Adelaide on Friday.

McGain missed most of last season with a shoulder injury sustained in October, 2008 after being called up for Australia's tour of India before finally recovering to make his Test debut in South Africa in March this year.

But Australia's oldest Test debutant since Bob Holland struggled in finishing with match figures of 0-149 in his one and only appearance and has since disappeared into the cricket wilderness.

However, now refreshed after having the winter off, Shipperd believes McGain is ready to re-capture the form that saw him take the most wickets of any spinner in the Sheffield Shield in the 2007/08 season when he claimed 38 wickets at 34.15 to earn his first national call-up.

"Bryce is champing at the bit to play," Shipperd said ahead of Friday's clash against the Redbacks at the Adelaide Oval.

"This is a huge game for Bryce to again give himself some confidence that those skills are still there."

While McGain now finds himself with increased competition for a place even in the Victorian team - given the Bushrangers' promising 22-year-old left arm spinner Jon Holland is currently part of the Australian one-day team touring India - Shipperd has no doubt McGain could win back his Test berth this summer.

"We are really confident his skills are still there and we believe that if he is not the best spinner in the country, then he is a close second to whoever the other player may be."

"Last season was an unfortunate one for him through injury but he has done all the preparation (for this season) that he needs to do."

"I know Bryce is very keen to make the most of these first three or four games while Jon is away (in India) and then we have got some selection headaches."

"The last time he (McGain) played Shield cricket (against South Australia back in late January/early February) he took a five for and he has done that more than once and we are expecting him to again have a significant impact on the game in Adelaide."