Peter Siddle has charged his way into the frame for the first Test of the summer, with Victorian coach Andrew McDonald suggesting he was "quietly confident" the veteran fast bowler was in the mix to face South Africa in Perth next week.
And the good news for Victoria's bowlers doesn't end there, with James Pattinson not ruling out a Sheffield Shield return before the end of the year.
Siddle, who turns 32 next month, played three one-day matches for Victoria over the past fortnight, his first competitive cricket in eight months after ankle and back issues. While the workhorse quick was not expected to be available for Tests until later in the summer, his impressive performances in the Matador Cup have boosted his chances of lining up against the Proteas in the first Test on Thursday week.
Siddle was on Monday named in the Bushrangers' squad for their shield opener against Tasmania, a pink-ball affair starting on Tuesday at the MCG.
McDonald said Siddle's diligent approach to training had him in contention for a comeback to international duties. "I think he's in fantastic form, he's as fit as he's ever been," McDonald said at the MCG on Monday.
"He's ahead of schedule. He's bowling with great pace, he's running in significantly faster than I've ever seen so he's on top of the ground.
"I wouldn't call him a lock for the first Test but I'd like to say I'm quietly confident that if he gets through this and performs in this game that he'd be putting his hand up for selection."
Siddle will have some restrictions placed on him by Cricket Australia, but McDonald said they wouldn't be overly restrictive on the Bushrangers, who begin their campaign hoping for a third straight shield title.
"The restrictions aren't something that's going to impact us too much," he said. "We're going to have some flexibility."
Siddle isn't alone in having restrictions placed on him, with Australian speedster Mitchell Starc to play only half of NSW' first shield game ahead of the South Africa series because of a gashed leg.
Pattinson, 26, hasn't bowled in competitive cricket since February's Test tour of New Zealand, having been again struck down with back stress fractures.
But he said he was targeting Dandenong's Premier Cricket match against Prahran, starting on November 12, for his return..
While Pattinson said he won't play a Test for Australia in the home summer, a shield appearance later this year remains a possibility, but only after "two or three" matches bowling with the Panthers.
"I haven't ruled that out yet," Pattinson said on Monday. "If it's not shield cricket then I'll definitely be right to go for the start of the Big Bash."
Pattinson remains a chance to play limited-overs cricket for his country this season.
The Test tour of India in February and March remains a distant hope, but Pattinson said he hadn't considered that option yet. "I haven't really given it a thought."
Pattinson was on hand as his BBL club, Melbourne Renegades, unveiled their new major sponsor, confectionary brand Mars.
Spinner Fawad Ahmed was the most notable omission from the Victorian squad for their clash with the Tigers. Ahmed has been a mainstay of the Bushrangers' shield side in recent summers but has been overlooked, with Jon Holland given the nod after making his Test debut in Australia's recent series in Sri Lanka.
"Fawad is unlucky not to be included. Jon Holland, as we know, played his first Test match during the off-season, so he gets first crack at that position and hopefully he can make it his own," McDonald said. "Fawad will still be there in the wings."
Victorian squad:
Matthew Wade (c), Scott Boland, Travis Dean, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Jon Holland, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Siddle, Marcus Stoinis, Chris Tremain, Cameron White.
