Injury-prone former Test paceman James Pattinson will take a crucial step towards booking an unlikely Ashes spot when he returns in the Sheffield Shield.
The 28-year-old has been recovering from a side strain suffered in January playing for the Brisbane Heat in the BBL.
After taking 4-53 playing for Victoria in a Futures League game last month, Pattinson has done enough to earn a recall to play NSW in Sydney, starting on Friday.
His last four-day game for Victoria was in December against Western Australia.
"After James's setback during the BBL, we had the vision of him making a return at the back end of the Shield season," Victoria's chairman of selectors Andrew Lynch said.
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"He's obviously a quality player that has the ability to win matches, and he's coming in at a crucial time."
Even as Pattinson suffered another setback in January, he still hoped to feature at the back end of the Shield season to keep himself in sight of Australian selectors.
Australia Test captain Tim Paine has mentioned Pattinson's name as being in contention for a spot in the squad that will travel to England in August, if the right-arm quick can get his body right.
Pattinson grabbed six wickets in his last Test for Australia in 2016.
He has taken 70 wickets in 17 Tests and is a more than handy lower-order batsman with an average of 27.66.
