Andrew McDonald by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:

AB McDonald

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DateLine: 28th April 2009

 

A former Australia Under-19 player, McDonald was tipped for a bright future after picking up 32 wickets in ten games in 2003-04. Andrew McDonald had another consistent season in 2007-08 after enjoying a breakthrough campaign the previous summer. He helped Victoria reach the Pura Cup final with 545 runs at 49.54 combined with 13 wickets at 37.92. McDonald added his second first-class century when he led a fightback with 139 against South Australia at the Junction Oval, after reaching triple-figures for the first time in 2006-07. That season he was exceptional, topping Victoria's Pura Cup wicket tally and finishing second to Brad Hodge in their batting averages. He came into the season with one first-class half-century; he added six more and averaged 57.69. His 29 dismissals were invaluable in an injury-ravaged Bushrangers attack and his 6 for 34 against Queensland was a career-best. Not surprisingly, he was Victoria's Pura Cup.

 

Player of the Year and earned a part-time Academy place for 2007, and he was picked in the Australia A squad to tour Pakistan in September but had to pull out due to a shoulder injury. A more satisfying call-up came when he was a surprise selection for the Sydney Test in 2008-09 after Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson succumbed to injuries. His solid debut included three wickets and the continued absence of Symonds allowed McDonald to win a place on the return tour of South Africa.