Quiney is hoping to make the most of this opportunity

Just before the start of the first Test against South Africa at Brisbane, Australia batsman Rob Quiney, who will be making his Test debut, announced that he refuses to be rattled by the Proteas’ world class pace attack.

Quiney was included in the squad for the first Test after all-rounder Shane Watson was ruled out due to a calf injury.

Quiney made his debut for the Victoria Bushrangers at the age of 23, but after seven years of nothing but hard work, he has finally been rewarded with his first ever international Test cap.

South Africa’s pace attack includes the like of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander, but Quiney refuses to give in to the fear of facing the dynamic trio.

Quiney noted that he was especially relishing the opportunity to face Steyn and said: “I’ve seen him go up the gears so hopefully I can combat him when he goes up to his fourth gear. It’s half the challenge. I got through a couple of spells (from Steyn in the tour match) which was great for the mind, he (Steyn) ramped it up a bit more to ‘Hughesy’ (Australia A teammate Phil Hughes) than me, but from the other end he was bashing the wicket pretty hard. It was his final hit-out in the middle and he wanted to make sure he was right and everyone knows what a good bowler he is and how fast he can be. I will be prepping pretty hard this week. I’m sure the South Africans will step it up another notch and will bring it to us. As a pace unit they will be licking their lips at a quicker wicket than in Sydney, so fingers crossed we do a good job in the top order.”