A member of Australia’s Ashes squad for the first Test is poised for a comeback after recovering from a hamstring injury
It was only last month that Sean Abbott was pressing his claims to receive the Baggy Green that has hung tantalisingly within reach for several years.
Bouncing between matches for Australia’s white ball teams and New South Wales, Abbott had been the pick of the Blues’ bowlers with 4-18 in the second innings of their Sheffield Shield loss to Victoria, only to pull up sore after nine overs.
That soreness was a hamstring injury, one that consigned him to a six-week layoff and saw him withdrawn from Australia’s Ashes squad ahead of the first Test.
A veteran of 57 international white-ball games, Abbott has been on the edge of the Test squad for some time, and while remaining positive, that cherished Baggy Green continues to elude him – for now.
“The timing was really poor. I’ll admit that,” Abbott told reporters ahead of his return for the Sydney Sixers on Boxing Day.
“I was only in the Test squad for the first Test. I won’t make any assumptions around selections after that, but … I think I can speak on behalf of a lot of Australian cricketers that being involved in an Ashes series is the pinnacle in our sport, something that you dream of being a part of as a kid, and I still do.”
The 34-year-old revealed he did not realise the extent of his injury against Victoria until he underwent scans, saying he only felt “tired” rather than injured.
“Throughout the last six weeks I haven’t felt injured at all so the main challenge that I’ve experienced is feeling like I’m not being held back by anything. I’m just trying to tell myself to slow down a bit at times,” he said.
Injuries to several of Australia’s frontline bowlers have given others such as Scott Boland, Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett a chance to shine across the first three Tests, and the prospect of a schedule chock-full of Test cricket in the next two years gives Abbott reason to keep believing.
“Hunger has never been an issue with me,” Abbott said.
“I’m pretty proud of myself that I’ve always been pretty good at being able to compartmentalise and focus on the next thing and step out of the situation and see for what it is, and realise some other opportunities that I’ve had.
“From next season, there’s 20-odd Tests.
“I’ve signed on to play with Surrey (in county cricket), so I’m really excited to go and get in the four-day grind and play a bit of T20 cricket as well.
“I feel like my game is in a pretty good position to play well and do a role if I get that call up to the Test squad one day.”
Abbott will return to a Sixers line up that currently has one win from three starts, bouncing back from losses in their first two games with a convincing win over crosstown rivals the Sydney Thunder last Saturday.
He will be a welcome addition for several reasons, not least the fact he has taken more wickets (175) than any other player in BBL history.
The Sixers will host Melbourne Stars at the SCG in the first match of a Big Bash double-header on Boxing Day, which immediately follows stumps on the first day of the fourth Test at the MCG.
KFC BBL|15 standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Total points
PTS
1
STA
2
2
0
0
0
1.541
0
4
2
HUR
3
2
1
0
0
0.45
0
4
3
SIX
3
1
2
0
0
0.569
0
2
4
SCO
2
1
1
0
0
0.365
0
2
5
THU
3
1
2
0
0
-0.258
0
2
6
STR
2
1
1
0
0
-0.376
0
2
7
HEA
3
1
2
0
0
-0.755
0
2
8
REN
2
1
1
0
0
-1.331
0
2
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points
