BBC SPORT | Cricket | Specials | Australia v South Africa

BBC Sport Online's Ben Kunicki profiles Jimmy Maher after two team-leading performances for the Queenslander in his comeback series against South Africa.

Jimmy Maher may be barely known to many cricket fans across the world but to those involved in the Australian domestic scene his latest success will have come as no surprise.

The rugged Queenslander last played international cricket in 1998, when he appeared inauspiciously in two one-day internationals against Pakistan.

Having failed to impress, Maher faded into the background as the intense competition for places in the Australian batting order saw him tumble down the pecking order.

Consistent scoring

Maher has kept going though, consistently amongst the highest scorers in both the Pura Cup and the ING Cup, finishing in the top three domestic one-day run-scorers for four seasons in a row.

During the recently-concluded Australian domestic season, Maher hit new heights, scoring over 1,000 first-class runs and receiving the Player of the Year award for that competition.

This followed on from a successful stint with Glamorgan in 2001, where Maher surpassed 1,000 County Championship runs at an average of over 50.

Jimmy Maher playing for Glamorgan
Maher enjoyed a successful spell with Glamorgan

The experience seems to have served him well, as it did Justin Langer who became a regular in the Australian side after a spectacular debut season for Middlesex in 1998.

Glamorgan's coach John Derrick is in no doubt that Maher's determination has seen him through.

"He's just hungry for runs like all the Australians who come here," Derrick says.

"Because they play so infrequently, they know that if they fail then the next chance will be in a fortnight's time," he explains.

"Over here it could well be the next day so there's not quite the same desire."

Big chance

Derrick adds that Maher was well aware what difference a productive spell in county cricket could do for him.

"I know he felt it was a big chance for him," Derrick says.

In the past week, Maher has offered glimpses of what may be with two superb efforts in the second and third one-day internationals against South Africa.

Relatively slight of build, Maher relies on excellent footwork and good shot selection rather than brute force but he admits that his aim is to always try and score at a run a ball.

In Sunday's match the left-hander batted at three, although he usually opens for Queensland, and played a patient innings, dropping anchor and letting others batting round him.

Jimmy Maher salutes the crowd
Maher could be dropped despite good form

In two big partnerships with Matthew Hayden for the second wicket and Damien Martyn for the fourth, Maher built up a match-winning score of 95 before falling just short of his century.

On Wednesday, Maher showed the other side of his game, as he smashed 43 off just 32 balls to tie the match for Australia in dramatic style.

Both performances have earned him man of the match awards and placed the Australian selectors in a dilemma.

Squeezed out

Ostensibly, Maher had come into the side to replace the injured Michael Bevan who is now set to return.

With Bevan still regarded as one of the best one-day batsmen in the world, Maher could well be squeezed out.

Maher himself has indicated he is just glad to be there, but it would seem harsh if the hero of Potchefstroom is sacrificed at this stage.

After such a long time in the wilderness, Maher knows more than most what it means to be in the Australian fold.

He and his supporters can only hope that performances like those he has shown in the past week can keep him there.