Bollinger weighs up England options

Like a lot of Australia's recent additions, Doug Bollinger is waiting nervously to see if he will be part of the Ashes squad when it is revealed on Wednesday. Bollinger, who won a national contract on Thursday, played his first ODIs on the tour of the United Arab Emirates, taking 5 for 35 in his second match, but has not added to his maiden Test in Sydney in January.

His first option is to make the squad, but if he misses out he will go to England anyway. Graham Manou, the back-up gloveman, is also thinking the same way and there will be a number of players on the county scene hoping for an injury and a phone call from the selectors.

Bollinger isn't worried about where he might play. "It doesn't matter, anything just to keep my body ticking over," Bollinger told AAP. "It does not really bother me. If anything I cannot be too picky and I just want to get on with it."

The next few days will go slow for Bollinger and the other contenders. "It is a little bit nervy but I think the worst thing is to think about it and worry about it too much and let it bother your routine," he said.

"I have just got to get on with what I have been doing in the past. Just keep doing some fitness so it can take my mind off it but if I got the phone call that would be super."