NSW allrounder Moises Henriques says higher honours will look after themselves for a host of Blues hopefuls, provided they can come up with the right result in this week’s Sheffield Shield clash against Victoria.
The Australia A representative is one of a number of players from both sides who will take to the SCG from Tuesday keen on keeping their name in national selectors’ minds. Particular interest is sure to be shown in Blues new-ball pairing of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood.
Australia’s indifferent bowling display during South Africa’s first innings at the Gabba has cast some questions over the home side’s attack for the remaining Tests in the series. And Starc, who will turn out against the Vics after being made 12th man for the Test side and flying back to Sydney on Sunday night, will no doubt be desperate to stake his claim.
The possible continued absence of the injured Shane Watson could also bring Henriques and Victoria’s former Test allrounder Andrew MacDonald into the equation, with the lack of a genuine fifth bowling option leaving the Aussies exposed in Brisbane.
“Everyone’s the same, with every good performance everyone gets a bit closer,” Henriques said.
“I still think I need to have a good long season and be consistent for a good period of time.
“It’s still very early in the season, I think this is only our fourth Shield game of the year.
“We’ll be pushing for the points, I think that’s the best way to push your name forward.”
The Blues will be desperate to rebound from their last-start loss to Queensland at Allan Border Field last week with what is largely a new-look side with David Warner and skipper Michael Clarke on national duty and the likes of Henriques and Steve Smith returning from Australia A duty.
The Blues will hand 30-year-old batsman David Dawson his first game of the season, leaving the Blues in the unique situation of having three specialist keepers in their final XI alongside Brad Haddin and Peter Nevill.
Dawson was actually coached as a schoolboy by Haddin, when the latter was an emerging talent coming out of Canberra, and he says the presence of the dumped Test keeper would be vital to the Blues squad.
