Last Updated on 2 months ago by Charbel Coorey
Brendan Doggett will become Australia’s first pace-bowling debutant since Scott Boland when he takes the field in the 2025/26 Ashes series opener in Perth. The fast bowler will don Test cap 472, and has been selected courtesy of excellent form in First Class cricket in recent seasons.
31-year-old Brendan Doggett rewarded for excellent run in First Class cricket
Born in Rockhampton and raised in Toowoomba, Doggett is of Indigenous heritage; a descendant of the Worimi people. The 31-year-old is also a carpenter by trade.
Doggett made his Sheffield Shield debut for Queensland in 2017/18 before moving to South Australia in 2021/22. Overall, the right-arm quick has played 50 First Class matches, taking 190 wickets at an average of 26.46.
However, it’s his form over the last two years that has caught the attention of national selectors. In his last 20 First Class matches, Doggett has taken 98 wickets at an average of 21.41.
This includes 6/15 off 11 overs for Australia A against India A in 2024, as well as the best-ever match figures (11/140) in a Sheffield Shield Final. The pace bowler won player of the match in South Australia’s drought-breaking triumph against his former team, Queensland.
Doggett missed the start of the 2025/26 Sheffield Shield season due to a hamstring injury. It didn’t deter him, with the 31-year-old hitting the ground running immediately, taking 13 wickets in two Shield matches at an average of 14.69. This includes two five-wicket hauls.
Doggett is also incredibly fit. In an exclusive interview with CricBlog, Kerry O’Keeffe provided some insight into the pace bowler’s fitness regime.
“He does half iron bends. He swims 1.9 and runs 90k on the bike and 21.1 on the run. He’s the fittest cricketer in Australia,” O’Keeffe said.
“They love the fact that he can keep coming back spell after spell. That’ll be with Harry Brook and Root and people like that. If they get in, they’ll need a bowler like Brendan Doggett to come on and really give them a work over. I think he’s a good choice as the backup.”
Opener Jake Weatherald will also make his debut in the first Ashes Test. Australia opted for Weatherald to partner Usman Khawaja so Marnus Labuschagne can bat at three. Cameron Green is the all-rounder.
