Starting 2005-06 without a rookie contract or a match with the Queensland 2nd XI, the legspinner Daniel Doran experienced a dramatic elevation as he ended the summer with a Pura Cup trophy and a place at the Academy. Doran was an unknown club bowler in Victoria when he moved to the Gold Coast in 2003, but after a couple of seasons of wickets he was promoted into Queensland's representative squads and earned his first-class debut against Western Australia, picking up five wickets for the match. Three victims in the final, including a wicked pitch-outside-leg-hit-off delivery to David Hussey with his first ball of the second innings, pushed his tally to 15 at an exceptional 28.46.

That winter was spent at the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane, where he worked with Terry Jenner, and he was included on the Academy's tour to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya. He played all ten Pura Cup matches for Queensland in 2006-07, but suffered a bout of second-season blues that was not helped by Brisbane's unresponsive pitches or Jimmy Maher's captaincy. Only ten wickets came his way in 156 overs and he finished with an unflattering average of 70.50. He had similar numbers in 2007-08 - ten at 72.90 - and last summer he broke through only four times in five matches.

In 2005 Doran, who has 2nd XI experience with Nottinghamshire, Surrey and Kent, was invited to be a net bowler for England during a club stint in the United Kingdom. Asking if he could stay on for the Australia session, he ended up chatting with Stuart MacGill as he got a look at some of his future interstate opponents. A strong turner of the ball, Doran carries a lot of variations and isn't afraid to try them.
Peter English May 2009