Peter Siddle aiming return to action this October
Jul 1, 2016 at 7:15 PM
Australian fast bowler Peter Siddle is now keen to make a comeback in the Matador BBQs One-Day Cup this October, as he is still continuing his recovery process from the back and ankle injuries that forced him out of the action since February.
Siddle didn’t get a chance to play in Australia’s most recent Test in February – in New Zealand – after back stress fractures made him unavailable. The same injury ruled him out of the upcoming Sri Lanka tour also.
During this enforced layoff, Siddle had to undergo a major surgery on a nagging issue with his left ankle.
Having now returned to fitness training with Victoria, Siddle believes a return to bowling is only one month away.
“My rehab is coming along nicely and I’m back running, so my ankle is all healed and going well,” Siddle told cricket.com.au.
“My back is still taking the time to recover, which is normal, but there’s no rush at all to get back for anything.
“I was never going to be quite right for the Sri Lanka tour sadly.
“The first worry was to get back running and moving so that’s fine …. it’s probably another month until I get back to bowling.”
Peter Siddle was not selected in Victoria’s Matador Cup team last summer as the Bushrangers chose an attack of James Pattinson, John Hastings, and Scott Boland, but the 31-year-old pacer is now adamant that the 50-over tournament will see his return to competitive cricket.
The availability of such vast fast-bowling talents around Australia has also put some doubt over Siddle’s future in Baggy Green, especially after a year spent in and out of the team.
He played one Test in the 2015 Ashes, one against New Zealand in Australia’s home series, another two against West Indies, and one more against the Kiwis on their home turf.
But the Victorian is quite positive he will be back in the Test squad this summer.
“I’ve got a rough idea of the plan going forward.
“Once I get back into bowling it’ll be no different to a normal preseason for me. I haven’t done a preseason for about five years which sounds weird but I’ve always been travelling and playing around the world so you miss those opportunities.
“I’ll just train alongside the Vic lads. I’m probably lucky with my age got the history behind me about what I need to bowl, my workloads, my limits.
“I’m pretty used to heavy workloads and the build-up, so I won’t need to do as much as those guys, I’ll be slightly behind them on the bowling side of things but come to Matador and the preseason games leading up to that, I’ll be a part of all that.
“I’ll look to use look to use the Matador Cup as the lead into the first few Shield games before the first Test.
“I want to be part of that first Test for the summer and a series against South Africa is always a massive series.”