Bird tastes success in comeback

Fast bowler Jackson Bird has made a positive step in his return from a back injury, taking seven wickets in Tasmania's Toyota Futures League match against NSW Blues.

But more importantly for the 27-year-old, he came through the match injury free and is hoping he’ll be given the chance to add to his tally of 13 wickets in three Tests.

"I'm not really sure how far you fall off the radar," Bird told Fairfax.

"There's obviously a lot of good fast bowlers around, that's being shown in the one-day series at the moment; guys like Josh Hazlewood and Kane Richardson are really putting their hand up.

"(But) I think the selectors know what I can do, I've been around the group for a while now. I don't think I've fallen too far behind – if I can just string a few games together and bowl well."

Bird finished the match in Hobart with match figures of 7-68 from 28 overs, his first domestic hitout since a recurring stress fracture in his back struck again at the end of last season.

The injury had held the right-armer back throughout 2013, forcing a premature end to his campaigns with Australia's Test team in both India and England.

But with a first-class bowling average in the low 20s, Bird was considered good enough to earn selection for Australia's tour of South Africa in February and March of this year, despite not having played a first-class match all summer.

Bird admits that his injury troubles mean he's "a long way down the pecking order" when it comes to Test selection, but he's confident that a return to the international fold isn't too far away.

"Absolutely," he said. “I was on the last Test tour when I was fit, so I feel like I'm not far away if I'm out there performing."

Bird is hoping to return to Tasmania's senior team when they take on the my FootDr Queensland Bulls in their Bupa Sheffield Shield clash at the Gabba next week.