Sayers has earned his chance for debut in Adelaide

How close has Chadd Sayers been to a baggy green cap? About 10 metres.

They had one ready for him hidden away not far from where he was sitting in the Gabba dressing room last summer.

But it stayed in its packet after Nathan Lyon won a tight match-morning selection decision for the Gabba’s day-night Test against Pakistan.

Sayers also nearly got one in New Zealand and again on his home ground in Adelaide in recent seasons.

The great worry for Sayers is that if he misses out in Adelaide tomorrow, understandable given the form and quality of the men ahead of him, where on earth does he get a game? If his 40 wickets in five Sheffield Shield games in Adelaide last season can’t get him a home Test, where does he play?

Unless conditions are downright sympathetic to swing bowling, Jackson Bird could easily slide in ahead of him at most venues.

If Sayers never gets a chance to show his wares to the world at Test level it will be a case of a man not getting what he deserves.

He is an old-fashioned swing bowler – the type of bowler Australia never likes to pick. The selectors seem to crave for macho men who can hurl it rather than curl it.

And yet the late outswinger, Sayers’ most potent ball, is still one of the greatest weapons in cricket.

Ask England’s 508 wicket Test champion, Jimmy Anderson.

Sayers exceptional first-class record of 243 wickets at 23.5 apiece does not guarantee he would be a success at Test level, but it should demand he gets a chance to at least show his wares.