Bubbling up nicely

Freak floods in England haven't dampened Doug Bollinger's enthusiasm for cricket, especially now he's been recalled for Australia A. He may not be excelling for Worcestershire in his first county season - and the poor weather can't have helped - but his reputation and previous experience have earned the call to tour Pakistan in September.

"I'm very excited," he said. "I've tried not to think about it. I'm really excited, very happy, and I'm just going to try to grab it with both hands."

He's the type of man to make the best of any situation. Take the floods, for example. "I lost my whole kit in the changing room, but then I'm a bowler so it doesn't really matter! All the guys have been really good, they've offered to lend bats and shoes, just been a typical team."

A recommendation from his New South Wales team-mate Phil Jaques landed him a spot at New Road, while his 22 wickets at 24.68 in five Pura Cup matches in 2006-07, and a good word from Glenn McGrath, helped too. "He's had a couple of good years at home and he's done really well," Jaques said.

He may not have set Worcestershire alight - his eight first-class wickets have come at 61.75 - but overall the experience has been a positive one. "It's been good and I've learned a few things I can take back to Australia - bits and pieces about my bowling, different lengths and areas, which is good."

Bollinger, 26, will use the knowledge in Pakistan, where it will be a massive help having his friend Jaques with him. Jaques, almost paternally, answers some questions for him when I'm talking to both; he even broke the news to him of his recall to Australia A.

The promotion is part of his swift rise, but he takes it in his stride. He only picked up cricket at 15, despite professing a love for the game from being a youngster. "You grow up watching it, saying: 'Yeah, I want to do that'.

"I wasn't in the New South Wales Under-19s. I started when I was 15 and played my first season when I was 21, after one season of grade cricket back home. I've had a really quick upbringing." Jaques interjects: "You were playing with your friends, weren't you?" Bollinger nods.

"I played one season of grade cricket, then the next I was playing Shield cricket against the likes of Jimmy Maher and Matt Hayden, and playing with Steve and Mark Waugh. It was a dream come true."

It was only once he had played with the big names and had a taste of first-class cricket that he began to hone his skills - until then everything was a whirlwhind. In the last four years he's had more structured attention, having been to the Academy a few times. "I've learnt a lot more now as everything's slowed down a bit. It's been great."

The left-arm fast man is nicknamed 'Eagle' because of his hairline. He shrugs it off. Still, his team-mates hold back on the champagne jokes, although they did try one name that they quickly had to discard: "A fast bowler called Bubbles didn't really work," Jaques laughed. The bubbles are on hold at the moment, but he's bursting with enthusiasm, and his eye is on doing well in Pakistan.