Bollinger hopes for South Africa tour call

Doug Bollinger is unsure whether he will be part of the Test squad for the South Africa tour despite a useful debut in Sydney. Bollinger, a left-arm opening bowler, took two wickets in the SCG victory over South Africa but was overlooked for the Twenty20 and one-day international outfits.

Gaining a place on the South Africa visit will become harder if Stuart Clark regains fitness for the trip following elbow surgery. Clark is looking to play Sydney grade cricket on January 24. "I am hopeful," he said in the Sydney Morning Herald. "I haven't got final clearance yet."

Bollinger was also uncertain of his playing prospects. "I don't know," Bollinger said in the Australian when asked if he would make the squad. "I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing and hopefully I'll get a gig. I'd be really excited if I do, but we'll just wait and see what happens.

"I don't think I did too bad [in the Sydney Test], as I said, I've just got to keep bashing away. My performance there, I thought I bowled all right. We'll just wait and see how I go." The squad is due to be named in the first week of February and the opening Test begins on February 26.