Spinner upbeat despite tour snub

McGain confident Test dream is not over

Cricinfo staff

April 3, 2008

	Bryce McGain says it is simply pleasing to be talked about as a potential Test player after only one year of full-time first-class action © Getty Images

Bryce McGain, the Victoria legspinner, believes he still has a chance to represent Australia despite being overlooked for the Test tour of the West Indies. The selectors decided against choosing McGain, 36, instead picking Beau Casson, 25, as the slow-bowling back-up for Stuart MacGill.

However, with a four-Test tour of India later this year ahead of the home contests against New Zealand and South Africa, McGain expects that he will remain in the frame. "I'm hopeful that if I keep putting good performances together and being consistent in my bowling and improving other parts of my game that maybe there could be an opportunity there for me," McGain told Nine.

Although he is much older than Casson and the Cricket Australia-contracted Dan Cullen and Cullen Bailey, McGain says his fitness and longevity should not be an issue. The past summer was the first during which he was subjected to the rigours of first-class cricket on a full-time basis.

He played every match as Victoria reached the Pura Cup final and was the leading spinner in the competition with 38 wickets at 34.15. The success has added to McGain's hunger and he is certain that he can keep improving as he gets more experience at state level.

"It's been nice in my first year to, at the end of it, have people talking about Australian selection, so I'm pretty satisfied with that out of the season," he said. "For now, it's not my time, so I'll go back and work hard and be bigger and better the next year."

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