'I've dodged a bullet': Doggett eyes Shield return

Brendan Doggett's breakthrough summer is not over just yet with the fast bowler eyeing a shock return if South Australia qualify for the Sheffield Shield final.

After a grade two hamstring tear while chasing a ball on the SCG outfield in a Shield game last month, it looked as if Doggett's season to savour was over.

While SA's spearhead was initially told to target his rehab for Australia's August Test series against Bangladesh, Doggett now says he's not ruling out a return if his state are to make the Shield final.

"It's healing well and I'm hitting all the markers so far," Doggett told cricket.com.au today.

"I start bowling next week. It's going to be pushing it and it's going to be risky. But if everything goes to plan and the boys keep winning, keep playing good cricket, and my rehab keeps going the way it has, then we'll be close."

Doggett played two Tests during the summer's NRMA Insurance Men's Ashes series, and three Big Bash fixtures for the Melbourne Renegades before injuring his hamstring in South Australia's Shield clash with NSW on February 7. 

An MRI scan revealed tendon damage and first assessments indicated surgery and 12-week layoff was in order, until a subsequent ultrasound revealed the damage was below the T-junction.

"If you're going to tear a tendon, then do what I've done," Doggett said. "I think you want to do it the exact way I've done it. 

While there is risk in his push to return for the Shield final, the 31-year-old believes a return is not unreasonable given he's avoided surgery. 

"Will Salzmann (the NSW bowler-cum-opening bat) had a similar one to me. He came back and redid it, and then he got surgery the second time around. That's the risk," Doggett conceded.

"I'm back to high-speed running already, so things are happening the way we need them to."

In the nine seasons since his first-class debut, Doggett has never had surgery. Although the injury has been "frustrating", he knows the consequences could have been a lot worse.

"It's probably one of the more frustrating injuries I've had," Doggett said. "First game back from Big Bash, and obviously I had a pretty big summer... so I was pretty cooked.

"I've not had surgery on anything yet. I've had my fair share of injuries, but none requiring surgery. I thought I was going to tick that box off, but I've dodged a bullet.

"I'm going to try my absolute best to get there. We're three and a bit weeks down the track, but hopefully results go our way and we get to a Shield final.

"I'm 50-50 for that if we get there."

South Australia (33.43 points) are currently third on the Shield standings, less than a point behind second-placed Queensland (34.38) with round nine matches in progress.

SA are hosting New South Wales in the penultimate round at Karen Rolton Oval, after which the reigning champions will take on top-of-the-table Victorians in Melbourne, with eyes on securing a place in this season's decider.

Sheffield Shield 2025-26 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Drawn D	No results N/R	Deductions Ded.	Batting Bonus Bat	Bowling Bonus Bowl	Total points PTS
1 Victoria Men VIC	8	6	2	0	0	0	7.46	7.3	50.76
2 Queensland Bulls QLD	8	3	3	2	0	0	8.18	6.2	34.38
3 South Australia Men SA	8	3	2	3	0	0	4.83	7.6	33.43
4 Tasmanian Tigers Men TAS	8	3	3	2	0	2	3.73	6.5	28.23
5 NSW Men NSW	8	2	3	3	0	0	5.93	6.9	27.83
6 Western Australia Men WA	8	1	5	2	0	0	1.99	7.2	17.19

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

D: Drawn

N/R: No results

Ded.: Deductions

Bat: Batting Bonus

Bowl: Bowling Bonus

PTS: Total points