NSW and former Test quick Doug Bollinger has joined Australia’s injury list after suffering an abdominal injury during the Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at the MCG.

Play was halted by bad light late on day three on Friday and Bollinger was due to bowl the last two balls of his 14th over on Saturday morning but didn’t appear on the field and the over was completed by spinner Nathan Lyon.

Bollinger returned to the field later in the morning session, but only for a few minutes while teammate Michael Clarke was briefly off the ground.

NSW coach Trevor Bayliss said the 32-year-old Bollinger had abdominal soreness.

“If the game was on the line he’d be out there (bowling). It’s precautionary,” Bayliss said.

Bollinger has figures of 1-37 in Victoria’s second innings after taking 2-61 in the first dig and hauls of 6-62 and 1-61 in the round-one Shield clash with Tasmania.

Australia’s pace-bowling injury list already includes Josh Hazlewood (shin soreness), Mitchell Starc (back), James Pattinson (back), Jackson Bird (back) and Pat Cummins (back).

Bayliss spoke earlier in the match of Bollinger’s class.

He said the big left-armer, who has claimed 50 wickets in 12 Tests, remained an international-standard player.

“I think he is (Test quality) but you can keep that bit quiet so that he gets to play a bit more for us,” Bayliss said of Bollinger, who hasn’t played in the baggy green cap since December 2010 in Adelaide against England.

“There will be opportunities later on in the summer. It’s up to the Australian selectors to pick the bowlers in form at the time.

“Certainly at the moment Dougie is bowling well.”