Alex Doolan ... first named for Tasmania then put on standby for today's Australia A game against the England Lions at Bellerive.
LAUNCESTON batsman Alex Doolan's roller-coaster season took another couple of twists yesterday.
At 2.44pm, Cricket Tasmania named the 27-year-old in the Tigers teams to play Western Australia in the Ryobi Cup and Sheffield Shield in Perth next week.
Then at 3.51pm Cricket Australia announced that Doolan had been placed on standby as cover for Callum Ferguson in today's Australia A match against the England Lions at Bellerive.
Doolan could have felt aggrieved at missing out on the initial Australia A squad after a stellar season with the bat.
He hit a career-best 161 not out in his last Australia A appearance against South Africa's much-hyped attack at the SCG in November and again caught the eye in the Prime Minister's XI match against the West Indies when he top scored with 87, after which his batting mentor Ricky Ponting suggested he was in line for Ashes selection.
This comment echoed former Tasmanian selector Peter Faulkner who told The Examiner last month that the former Scotch student warranted a Baggy Green.
Doolan averages 38.80 in first class cricket having amassed 2367 runs in 38 matches. His average in his six Shield matches this year is 51.66 with 465 runs and a top score of 149.
Cricket Australia said Ferguson suffered a mild groin strain while batting in Thursday's Ryobi Day Cup match between South Australia and New South Wales.
The Tigers will see the return of captain George Bailey, bowler Ben Laughlin and all-rounder James Faulkner after Australian duties for Tuesday's one-day match at the WACA.
Bailey and Faulkner will also be welcomed back for the Shield match starting on Thursday.
Vice-captain Tim Paine will stay in Hobart representing Australia A in three matches against the England Lions.
TIGERS' RYOBI CUP TEAM: George Bailey (c), Harry Allanby, Alex Doolan, Ben Dunk, James Faulkner, Andrew Fekete, Matt Johnston, Evan Gulbis, Ben Laughlin, Ricky Ponting, Jordan Silk, Timm van der Gugten, Jon Wells.
TIGERS' SHEFFIELD SHIELD TEAM: George Bailey (c), Luke Butterworth, Mark Cosgrove, Alex Doolan, Ben Dunk, James Faulkner, Evan Gulbis, Ben Hilfenhaus, Jason Krejza, Adam Maher, Ricky Ponting, Jordan Silk, Jon Wells.
