Bollinger Keen To Cut Down Proteas

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday December 31, 2008

By ANDREW STEVENSON SMH

DOUG Bollinger had the mower going full tilt yesterday morning when the phone rang.

"You got me in the middle of mowing the lawn," he told Cricket Australia's general manager of cricket operations, Michael Brown.

"Well, get back to it and while you're mowing try and figure out a way to get these South Africans out," Brown told him.

If anyone has a clue about how to do that at the SCG, it is the Blues paceman, who has five five-wicket hauls at his home ground over the past 13 months. But first he has to avoid the dreaded drinks duties.

Bollinger is in a man-on-man contest with Tasmanian swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus for a debut spot, and the left-arm quick will be struggling to control his infectious enthusiasm until the team is named and baggy green number 405 is presented.

Even Bollinger's wife, Tegan, is convinced Hilfenhaus will play, but recent match figures on the ground give the New South Welshman cause for optimism.

In the two first-class games both bowlers played in at the SCG last year Hilfenhaus struggled his way to four wickets at a cost of 57 runs each.

In contrast, Bollinger was man of the match in one with two six-wicket hauls and claimed 15 wickets at 13.60 over the same two contests.

Bollinger said the new Victor Trumper Stand, which has swallowed what remained of the old hill, had cut down the options for new-ball swing bowling at the ground.

But the good news for bowlers is that the ball has swung reverse after just 20 overs.

"The SCG is a pretty good place to bowl. I like to bowl as straight as I can and swing the ball as much as I can because it goes 'Irish' quite a bit," he said.

"You've got to bash the wicket at the SCG. It's not the quickest of wickets, but I enjoy bowling there."

Asked if he was the messiah, Bollinger gave a smile which suggested he was just another naughty boy.

"Geez, I'd like to be. I hope I am. If I happen to play, I'll put 150,000 per cent in," he promised.

Of course, his fate now rests in the hands of others and Bollinger is confident, without daring to invest too much belief in his own selection.SMH

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home