Profile
Ben Hilfenhaus' 2011/12 summer could have been torn straight from the pages of a Boys Own Magazine.
After a disastrous Ashes Series in 2010/11 where he picked up just seven wickets at an expensive average of 59.28, many may have thought to have seen the last of the big Tasmanian bricky.
But he did not spend the winter of 2011 idly.
Selected in the first Test against India at the MCG, Hilfenhaus came out swinging, only this time subtle and unpredictable changes in pace and length bamboozled the Indian batting line-up.
He took his first ever 5-for in the Boxing Day Test (5-75 off 26.0), bowling Australia into a match winning position.
In Sydney he took his second 5-for (5-106 off 32.5) and tapped out a handy 62 in the second innings.
The party continued in Perth with Hilfenhaus again the pick of the bowlers taking 4 wickets in each innings, finishing the match with figures 8-97 off 56.
His outstanding Test form saw him recalled to the ODI squad for the first time in more than two years.
He repaid the selectors faith by picking up his first ODI five-wicket haul, taking 5-33 against India in the seventh match of the series in Brisbane.
The 2012 tour of West Indies was challenging for fast bowlers but Hilfenhaus remained pick of the pace bowlers and made some handy contributions with the bat.
With so much young talent emerging in the bowling ranks Australia will look to Hilfenhaus to provide cool consistency and leadership.
