Damien Fleming refuses to put a line through the name of Alex Doolan as a possible shock Test inclusion for the Australian summer ahead.
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The Launceston born-and-bred opener has come off timely back-to-back tons for the Tasmanians in the drawn Sheffield Shield encounter.
The 33-year-old smashed 170 not out to carry his bat and a further 116 against the South Australian attack.
Doolan was overlooked in favour of Queenslander Joe Burns and West Australian Cameron Bancroft for next week's Test against Pakistan.
Fleming said with the incumbent pair not in great touch nor Victorian Marcus Harris who was dropped after the final Ashes Test, Doolan could remain a floater for the following two games or the home New Zealand series.
"Even though he's in his early 30s, age doesn't really matter for me there," he said.
"He has just gotta keep punching out those runs. But they must been an incredible couple of knocks from Dools.
"As I have often say, it happened to Simon Katich and often batsmen are better the second time around.
"If Dools does get that opportunity, I have no doubt he'll make the most of it."
Ricky Ponting had anointed his hometown prodigy early in his career to wear the Australian Baggy Green.
But a wretched South African tour cost Doolan his spot. The Australian No.3 made 27 and 89 on Test debut, but struggling to get runs after that he lasted another three and was dropped averaging 23.87 just a further Test into a series away to Pakistan.
"He had a couple of awful runs out," the retired Test swing bowler said. "To me, he looked a natural No.3, but I know he's opening for Tassie now and that is the spot that seems to be up for grabs."
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Fleming was also full of praise for Doolan's Tassie teammate Matthew Wade.
The captain of the Tigers has proven to be a revelation since finally deciding to pull off the gloves to move up the state order from six to four.
Fleming believed in what was a low-scoring series in England, selectors could not have asked any more than Wade's bookend centuries.
"I'm glad he's come back and without getting too many big scores, he got important runs - I think he deserves his spot," Fleming said.
"I always thought he had the ability to play as a batsman, even though going up in the Tassie order, giving up the gloves doesn't give him that safety net, does it?"
Fleming had expressed his views ahead of the annual Champions of Sport luncheon on Friday - hosted by the Hadspen Cricket Club - that also featured guests Kevin Sheedy, Michelle Payne and Jake Birtwhistle.
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