Behrendorff on track for injury return

Injury plagued paceman Jason Behrendorff is hoping to return to action at the Matador Cup in October.

The talented left-armer has been battling stress fractures in his back the last two summers and has only been seen in patches for Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers.

Behrendorff has been put through a rigorous off-season in an attempt to fix his body and has now been bowling at a restricted pace for the last four weeks as he eyes a return to state cricket for Western Australia in the domestic one-day competition later this year.

"That’s the plan at this stage," Behrendorff said when asked if he would be fit again in time for the Matador Cup.

"Still got a fair bit to do to make sure I’m 100 percent match fit for the start of the season, but I'm on track and that's nice."

Behrendorff said his back was feeling good as he continues to work hard on his rehabilitation program.

"It's going really well actually," he admitted. 

"It's been nearly six months now and it's progressively got better and better and keeps ticking all the right boxes which it's nice. 

"I've gradually built my loads up bowling-wise and also running, I'm back pretty much unrestricted now which is really nice, so just getting ready for the start of the season now.

"I started off with very basic, small stuff, technical stuff off two or three steps, then gradually worked my way back. 

"I'm probably sitting at half-to-three-quarters of my run up at the moment."

Behrendorff appeared to be on the brink of an international debut when he got injured earlier this year and the 26-year-old said he would love to represent his country one day.

But he admitted playing for Australia wasn't something he was concentrating on as his rehabilitation continues.

"Obviously I’m very keen to do everything I can to be in that international set up, it's something I've got a goal to pursue and I’m keen to get involved in," Behrendorff said.

"But first and foremost I have to get back on the park and play well in the domestic competition and make sure I'm doing what I do and take wickets and hopefully winning lots of games for Western Australia and some silverware as well."