Cricket: Fast bowlers lining up to plug injury gaps

MELBOURNE: Australia's fast-bowling stocks have resembled a production line in the past six months, and taking the glass-half-full approach, the future appears bright.

Doug Bollinger proved himself a very good test bowler before and after Christmas, and in the past fortnight Clint McKay and Ryan Harris have enjoyed success in the one-day side.

Behind them, Australia have identified teenagers Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson and Mitch Starc as ones to watch, while two more newcomers, New South Wales' Trent Copeland and Queensland's Luke Feldman, claimed 19 wickets between them in this week's Sheffield Shield match in Sydney.

The depth of the field is so strong that the leading wicket takers in the Shield competition - Queensland's Ben Cutting and South Australia's Peter George - are flying under the radar.

Australian coach Tim Nielsen was delighted with the way his quicks, and spinner Nathan Hauritz, bowled in three tests against the West Indies and three against Pakistan (for five wins and a draw), and is encouraged by the succession plan that has evolved.

"It's really pleasing to see the state systems and the centre of excellence all developing them with the big picture in mind," said Nielsen.

The encouraging returns of quicks around the country are timely, as Australia need a battalion of fast bowlers to cope.

The injury rate has been high all season and climbed even further this week when Peter Siddle was ruled out for up to five months because of stress fractures in the back.

Siddle joined Ben Hilfenhaus (knee tendonitis), Brett Geeves (back), Brett Lee (elbow), Stuart Clark (back) and Nathan Bracken (knee) in the long-term ward, as none of that group will play for Australia inside a month.

Nielsen concedes that in a best-case scenario it will be the July series of tests against Pakistan in England before the first-choice attack is available again.

On ability, Nielsen said Australia had between seven and 10 quicks they could trust in internationals.

Given Australia's commitments the reinforcements are likely to be called upon.

- AAP