Steketee 'relaxed' about tough task to break into Test XI

The day after he was announced as one of four reserve players for Australia's Test tour of Pakistan, Mark Steketee again proved the calibre of fast bowlers that Australia possess.

While his game-high eight wickets, which included his fourth first-class five-wicket haul in the first innings, proved in vain as an inexperienced NSW batting line-up snuck home in a nail-biter, the uncapped Queensland quick showed why he has twice been elevated to the Australian squad.

Between him and long-time Test squad member Michael Neser they took 14 of the 18 NSW wickets to fall in the three-day contest on a Gabba pitch offering plenty of assistance to the seamers.

But given that depth of fast bowling talent across the country, it appears Steketee may be forced to wait just as long to debut as his state teammate, with Neser, Scott Boland and Jhye Richardson set to battle it out when one of the big three misses.

And it's a fate the 28-year-old is acutely aware of.

"It's obviously nice to know that (I'm) still in and around that squad," the right-armer said during the Shield match.

"They bowled beautifully throughout the summer, anyone that came in bowled really well – Jhye, Ness and Boland did exceptionally well.

"It's a tough side to crack into at the moment but that's how it should be, that's what makes Australian cricket strong."

Steketee, who leads this season's Marsh Sheffield Shield wickets tally with 29 at 16.31, previously earned a call-up to the national squad for the subsequently cancelled tour of South Africa early last year.

He was then added to Australia's squad with Scott Boland for the second Ashes Test in Adelaide when captain Pat Cummins was forced out as a COVID-19 close contact.

Queensland captain and new Test opener Usman Khawaja said Steketee's bowling this year had been "unbelievable".

"He bowled beautifully last year too actually. He's just so confident in his own ability at the moment, he looks really comfortable, relaxed, but more than that, he's a great leader for a lot of the young bowlers in our squad," Khawaja said after the loss to NSW.

"I know they look up to him; he's a man of few words, but I think they do look up to him, which is great to have those kinds of guys around the team."

Khawaja said Neser – who will accompany him on the Pakistan tour – just needed another opportunity at international level to present itself.

The 31-year-old claimed 1-33 and 1-28 in his Test debut in Adelaide but was squeezed out of Australia's XI for the third Test at the MCG when Cummins returned and Boland was picked to debut.

"He's been the heart and soul of Queensland cricket for a long time," Khawaja said of Neser.

"He's struggled a little bit this year, a couple of niggles, a bit of unfortunate timing (with the) hamstring (injury) earlier in the year and that can just take a little bit of time to come back from.

"He's still bowling really well; he's still doing what he does for the team so it's almost a case of him just waiting for another opportunity to present itself.

"He does all the right things outside of the out of the game, so you can't really ask for much more."

National selection panel chair George Bailey said Steketee had been named as a standby along with Sean Abbott, Matthew Renshaw and Nic Maddinson.

"There's the risk of COVID before we leave, there's the injury risk with a little bit of domestic cricket to be played plus these five internationals (the T20 series against Sri Lanka) over the next couple of weeks as well," Bailey said on SEN radio last week.

"Sean Abbott and Mark Steketee on the bowling front, they’ve both been around the Australian group at different times.

"Matt Renshaw and Nic Maddinson on the batting front I think are two guys that we’re really happy with how they’re going at the moment and looking forward to them continuing their form over the next little period.

"Any of those four, when they do get their opportunity, I’m really confident they’ll do a great job."

Qantas Tour of Pakistan 2022

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Zahid Mahmood

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi

March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi

March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore

March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi

March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi

April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi

April 5: Only T20I, Rawalpindi

All matches to be broadcast in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports