About Andrew McDonald

He started the season in breathtaking form, taking the Bushrangers' opening Shield match of the season away from Western Australia in a session. At one stage going from 50 to 150 in just 49 deliveries, McDonald struck 163 from 116 balls. Weeks later, A New South Wales attack featuring five international bowlers could not stop a rampant McDonald as he struck two centuries in the match.

Just when it looked like a recall to the Australian Test side could be in the offing, a vicious Adam Voges straight drive broke McDonald's hand as he was fielding off his own bowling. Making a speedy recovery, he returned to the Shield side only a month later and made an immediate impact. After just three overs he had already sent three South Australian batsmen back to the pavilion. Injury was then to intervene again as his picked up a calf strain that would sideline for him another month. His body held up through the Big Bash and allowed him to hold the Ryobi One-Day Cup aloft as captain in February before another leg injury put a stop to his Shield season.

As the all-rounder is not flashy with either his middle-order batting or unwavering medium-pace bowling he is often underestimated by those who do not watch him play regularly. For those that do, however, he is crucial.