Klinger sets sights on national T20 cap

Run machine Michael Klinger has set his sights on breaking into Australia's Twenty20 side as he continues to light up scoreboards in the UK.

Australia's Ashes tourists have laughed off the "Dad's Army" jibes, and with mid-30s players Chris Rogers, Ryan Harris and Brad Haddin amongst Australia's most important, the selectors' trend for picking experienced campaigners is one Klinger is pinning his hopes on.

Adam Voges impressed with a century on debut in the recent series in the Caribbean, and his Western Australia teammate Klinger is increasingly desperate to follow suit into the national colours.

Klinger, who has been in an extended purple patch for the Alcohol.Think Again Western Warriors, Perth Scorchers and now British county Gloucestershire, has set his sights on breaking into Australia's Twenty20 team as a first port of call.

"I feel that I am at a point where I am at my best in Twenty20 cricket and still getting better," Klinger said this week.

"With Australia here for the Ashes and the one-dayers and the Twenty20s, I would love to be involved with that.

"But there are a lot of good players (in the squad)."

Klinger's output for Gloucestershire in England's domestic T20 tournament this season makes for impressive reading: 126*, 69*, 104*, 104*, 10, 44. A total of 457 runs, three centuries, another fifty, four of six innings unbeaten as opener, a healthy strike rate of 153.87 and a scarcely believable average of 228.5.

Klinger was the top scorer in last summer's KFC T20 Big Bash league with 326 at 36.22, including an unbeaten 105 for his top score of the summer.

"It may be (selection) in the short format if Test cricket does not come up, and in Twenty20 cricket, I have been able to upskill my game to perform well," Klinger told the Gloucestershire Gazette.

"There may be a possible Australian call-up at some stage and I still hold out hope.

“They (the selectors) have shown their hand at picking guys in form and are not dependent on their age."

Another impressive season with the Scorchers and Klinger's name would be hard to resist, particularly with the ICC World T20 on the horizon, the only major international tournament the senior men's team is yet to win.

Klinger's form isn't restricted to the shortest format, however. He was second behind Voges in last summer's Bupa Sheffield Shield runs-scorers with 1,046 at 58.11 with four centuries and three fifties. (Voges had the irresistible 1,358 runs at 104.46 to earn his Test berth).

And with Gloucestershire this winter, Klinger has already added another 237 runs in three innings with another century at 79.

With age comes not just experience, but wisdom, and Klinger knows Australia's Ashes squad is jam-packed with talent.

"If you look at the Ashes squad at the moment there is nobody I deserve to be in front of," Klinger said.

"I think I would be very close, potentially, to be the next person in but that may not be the case now.

"Over the next three months, I just want to concentrate on my performances here and how those performances can help Gloucestershire win games.

"If I can do that well, opportunities may come down the track." 

Mike Hussey: Strike Bowler

No one will get you closer to the Australian team's Ashes tour than cricket.com.au. We will stream matches live into Australia on all devices, including the Cricket Australia Live app – available on iTunes and Google Play – and will have a comprehensive news and video team on the ground at every match. You won't miss a thing!