Australia pacemen Harris, Siddle hit form in Shield wins
ByReuters
Updated 19/11/2014 at 08:00 GMT
Australia pacemen Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle bowled their states to victories in the Sheffield Shield on Wednesday, hitting form just in time for next week's announcement of the squad for the India series.
Ryan Harris during a net session at the SCG (AFP)
Image credit: AFP
Harris, who bowled Australia to a rare test series victory in South Africa in March, took four for 59 from 14 overs to lead Queensland to a 188-run victory over New South Wales in his first match in eight months after knee surgery.
Siddle hit back after last month's highly disappointing test series against Pakistan by claiming five for 31 in South Australia's second innings as Victoria romped to victory by an innings and 46 runs.
There was also an encouraging return for Victoria's Pakistan-born legspinner Fawad Ahmed, who took three for 12 to mop up the South Australia tail at Adelaide Oval.
Harris's display is a big boost to Australia after the role he played as the leading wicket-taker across the two Ashes series played mostly last year, and then in South Africa.
The stocky paceman has managed a troublesome right knee for much of his career among a litany of other injuries, but has still managed to take 104 test wickets in 24 matches at an average of 22.56.
The 35-year-old said he probably needed a bit more match time before he was ready for a test.
"I would like to be in the squad and get a chance," he told reporters in Brisbane, where the first of four matches against India starts on Dec. 4.
"If the body doesn't feel right, then I will tell them because I am not going into a test match at 70 percent because you can't afford to do that."
Siddle's place in the test side has been called into question after he took just two wickets at the cost of 217 runs in two tests against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
The 29-year-old was also a key member of the pace attack along with Harris and ICC Cricketer of the Year Mitchell Johnson as Australia revived their test fortunes over the last year.
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