Blake MacDonald knew banging on the door wasn't enough to open it. He needed to arrive at the Sheffield Shield front step with a bag full of runs and the hunger to score more.
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So that's what he did. Hundred after hundred and hour after hour at the crease has finally paid off for the ACT Comets star, who is on the verge of making his first-class debut this week.
"Yeah, I'm excited," MacDonald said. "But I guess I also just feel like my game's ready for that next step. That's the exciting part."
After years of trying different avenues, testing himself in different competitions and moving around the states, MacDonald has been called into the NSW Shield team for a clash against Victoria in Albury from Thursday.
He is in the initial 13-man squad after NSW head of male cricket Michael Klinger gave MacDonald the call just days after his 25th birthday.
MacDonald has been in the pathway program since he was a teenager. He made his Comets debut eight years ago, was picked up by the Sydney Thunder on a rookie deal five years ago and has tested himself in South Australia.
Ultimately, it was the mountain of runs he scored for the Comets in the national second XI competition and a superb 177 against the West Indies at the end of last year that made it impossible for selectors to ignore.
MacDonald scored 145 and 109 against Victoria last week to back up his strong form in the Sydney first-grade competition with St George. Now the Wests junior is keen to test himself in first-class cricket.
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"It's just nice to know that my performances have been noticed and they're being rewarded," MacDonald said.
"Regardless of whether I get to play or not, it's nice to know I'm there or thereabouts.
"I've been in contact with [Klinger] through the season just about where I sit and we've had some good conversations about what I need to do to make that progression.
"He was pretty clear [this year] that I just needed some more red-ball runs if I was going to get that chance [in Sheffield Shield], and I've been lucky enough to be able to do that.
"I don't think I've changed anything this year. I've been injured for big chunks of time in past years, which made it tricky for consistency. But I played in Darwin [during winter] and I've been going for about eight months straight now. That helps.
"I've always worked hard at my game, and the mental side. I think it's just a combination of those things starting to click."
MacDonald - the son of ACT cricketing great Darryle - is still based in Canberra, but has been driving to Sydney every weekend to keep his foot in the door and play for St George.
He has taken on the Comets captaincy this year and trained in the capital on Tuesday before driving to Albury on Wednesday to link with the rest of the NSW squad.
He has already played alongside the likes of Matt Gilkes at Wests, as well as Moises Henriques, Blake Nikitaras, Trent Copeland and Kurtis Patterson.
The Blues are sixth on the Shield ladder and have called on Jack Edwards, Ollie Davies and MacDonald as fresh blood to bolster the team.
Davies and MacDonald are both chasing their Shield debut, while Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis and Jason Sangha have dropped out of the squad.
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