Siddle itching to make comeback

Sydney, March 12 (IANS) Australian pacer Peter Siddle is confident of braving a lingering injury and making his way back to the Australian team.

Siddle played just five matches last season thanks to a back injury but the Victorian is staying resolute.

"I've been pretty positive. I'm good like that, nothing really gets to me. I guess the years of playing cricket, you always have little setbacks with injury and missing cricket at different stages. It makes it a little bit easier to take in when you get older. So I've been able to stay pretty level," Siddle told cricket.com.au.

"It's not so much the fact that I'm missing out on my teams winning (that's frustrating), it's the fact that I'm not playing. "I don't think I've played this little cricket in an 18-month window since I was an 11-year-old kid and was just starting out.

"That's the most frustrating thing, not playing the game that you love and your profession. But mentally I'm pretty good. I'm in a good place and I've got some good people around me who give me good support," he added.

Having broken down during the Perth Test last November, Siddle had been confident of a return to the Australian squad ahead of the ongoing tour of India.

The back injury has kept him out of the India tour, but the 32-year-old right-armer is aiming to make a comeback before the Ashes begin.

"I've shown that when I'm at 100 percent (fitness), I'm one of the first picked and my record speaks for itself," he said.

"So that stuff looks after itself and that's what (this decision to rest) came down to. I need to get the body right because next summer is massive for Australian and state cricket. So it's just a matter of being in a good position and fit and that'll give me the best opportunity."

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