Full name Andrew Barry McDonald

Born June 5, 1981, Wodonga, Victoria

Current age 28 years 32 days

Major teams Australia, Delhi Daredevils, Victoria

Nickname Ronnie

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium

Height 1.94 m

Andrew McDonald gave hope to all Sheffield Shield players in 2008-09 when he was a surprise pick for the Test team - and managed to stay there. A useful allrounder, McDonald does not have the star quality of Flintoff, Symonds or Watson, but he showed Ricky Ponting he could be an important role player with the ball. He started at the SCG batting at No. 6 and quickly lost his helmet - but not his head - after receiving a Morne Morkel bouncer. However, he would not score more than his initial 15 until the last act of the series in South Africa, where his 68 could not stop an innings defeat. More value was displayed in his medium pace, which rarely strayed and allowed pressure to be built while the main men attacked at the other end. There were three wickets on debut and he claimed at least one victim in the rest of his games, doing enough to secure a Cricket Australia contract for 2009-10 and win a place in the Ashes squad.

On the domestic scene McDonald scored 356 Sheffield Shield runs at 44.5 and took 22 wickets at 21.31, as well as being a key performer in the one-day side. There was also a consistent season in 2007-08 after enjoying a breakthrough campaign the previous summer. He helped Victoria reach the Pura Cup final with 545 runs at 49.54 combined with 13 wickets at 37.92. McDonald added his second first-class century when he led a fightback with 139 against South Australia at the Junction Oval, after reaching triple-figures for the first time in 2006-07. That season he was exceptional, topping Victoria's Pura Cup wicket tally and finishing second to Brad Hodge in their batting averages. He came into the season with one first-class half-century; he added six more and averaged 57.69. His 29 dismissals were invaluable in an injury-ravaged Bushrangers attack and his 6 for 34 against Queensland was a career-best. His red hair and surname inevitably invited the nickname Ronnie, but there was no clowning around from McDonald in 2006-07, when he became only the fifth player in Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup history to make 750 runs and take 25 wickets in a season. Not surprisingly, he was Victoria's Pura Cup Player of the Year and earned a part-time Academy place for 2007, and he was picked in the Australia A squad to tour Pakistan in September but had to pull out due to a shoulder injury.

A former Australia Under-19 player, McDonald was tipped for a bright future after picking up 32 wickets in ten games in 2003-04. Backed by a haul of 6 for 67 against Western Australia and another burst of 4 for 2 in 14 balls, he seemed ready to settle in the side. However, the following summer he had finger surgery and his appearances became less frequent. The 2005-06 campaign was subdued but he burst back and remains one of the keys to Victoria's chances of four-day and one-day success.
Cricinfo staff May 2009

Australia Under-19s 1999/00

May 25, 2009

Andrew McDonald poses with a ball at Australia's team camp

© Getty Images

May 19, 2009

Andrew McDonald is undone by Anil Kumble

© Associated Press

Mar 22, 2009

Andrew McDonald acknowledges the cheers on reaching his half-century

© Getty Images

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