Australian cricket is poised to make history in the opening Ashes Test in Perth, with fast bowler Brendan Doggett set to debut alongside fellow Indigenous star Scott Boland - marking the first time two Aboriginal players will represent Australia together in Test cricket.
A Long-Awaited Debut
Seven years after his initial selection in an Australian squad, the 31-year-old Doggett is finally ready to become Australia's 472nd Test cricketer. His opportunity comes after in-form quick Josh Hazlewood suffered an untimely hamstring injury, creating a vacancy in Australia's pace attack for the first Test beginning Friday at Optus Stadium.
Doggett will join veteran Mitchell Starc and Boland in Australia's fast-bowling lineup, creating a significant moment in the sport's history. Until now, only two Indigenous men - Boland and former player Jason Gillespie - have represented Australia in nearly 150 years of Test cricket.
An Unconventional Journey
The Toowoomba-born bowler's path to international cricket has been anything but conventional. Doggett didn't make any representative teams until his twenties and only began learning about his Aboriginal heritage after securing his first contract with the Queensland Bulls.
His domestic debut came in October 2016 for the Cricket Australia XI in the one-day cup, after being plucked from local cricket where he dominated for Toowoomba Souths. Doggett has taken 190 first-class wickets throughout his career, spending the last four seasons helping transform South Australia from perennial strugglers to Sheffield Shield champions.
Injuries hampered his progress after initially receiving an Australian call-up in 2018, just months after the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. However, his move to South Australia in 2021 to lead their attack has proven decisive in his development.
Expert Endorsement
Jason Gillespie, who coached Doggett at South Australia and remains the only other Indigenous Test player alongside Boland, offered strong endorsement of the impending selection. "He's one of the quicker bowlers in Australia," Gillespie told ABC Radio. "Got a good motor, he's a greyhound and is as fit as a fiddle. He's ready to go."
Gillespie also acknowledged England might sense opportunity with both Hazlewood and captain Pat Cummins injured, but expressed confidence in Australia's remaining seam attack. He particularly highlighted the significance of Doggett's unconventional path, noting it "shows the value of our local competitions, plying away and working on your craft."
Doggett's selection continues a trend of late-blooming Australian Test cricketers. Like Tasmania's Beau Webster in January, he'll join the small group of players making their Test debut without having played white-ball international cricket in their twenties. Should fellow 31-year-old Jake Weatherald open the batting with Usman Khawaja in Perth, he would also be making his international debut at the same age.
With Michael Neser added to the squad as Hazlewood's replacement, Australia could field two debutants if both Hazlewood and Cummins remain unavailable for the second Gabba Test. For now, all attention focuses on Perth where Doggett's long-awaited debut will create a landmark moment for Indigenous representation in Australian sport.
