Darren Lehmann's return to Australia's Test squad, for the important tour of South Africa, is good news for the thirtysomethings. It's good news for consistent domestic performers. And it's good news for those sporting what's euphemistically known as the "fuller figure", too. Lehmann is 32 on Feb 5, and has been scoring at will this season for South Australia, left-hand-driving the bowlers to distraction in the way all Yorkshire's opponents are familiar with. And he's solid enough for other players to steer clear of a shoulder-charge when he swoops in the field. So his recall gives hope for everyone who's ever coveted the final tea-time éclair.

It has hardly been a meteoric rise. Lehmann was touted as the next great thing when he made his debut for South Australia at 17. Before he was 20 he'd been Australia's 12th man in a Test. But then he stalled. A move to Victoria wasn't a success, then "Boof" copped a bouncer in the face and was set back even more. He was 26 before he finally played for Australia, made 98 in his second Test, but has only played three others. There were a few more one-day caps, but although he hit the winning runs in the 1999 World Cup final he seemed to have been traded in for a younger model at 30 after last year's topsy-turvy tour of India.

Now Lehmann has proved that sheer weight - of runs that is - can get you noticed. He has scored more in the Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup than anyone else, ever. Maybe there's hope yet for Stuart Law to add to his one Test innings of 54 not out ten years ago. And perhaps Michael Bevan will get another green cap to go with his well-worn yellow one.

Lehmann's selection has shown that the Australian selectors aren't too bothered by criticism of their side's average age. Even the inclusion of Shane Watson, the highly rated 20-year-old Tasmania allrounder, only just nudges it below 30. Of the other fringe selections, Stuart MacGill is 31 next month, and Andy Bichel - back after unluckily missing out on the Ashes tour - is 31 already. MacGill is back after troubling the South Africans at Sydney, when his legspin - lower-slung but sharper-turning than Shane Warne's - had everyone probing. He is in line for his first overseas Tests since the 1998-99 West Indian adventure. Since then he has toured Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe without playing, and missed out on trips to New Zealand, India and England.

Simon Katich, who had seemed to be Australia's batsman in waiting for the past year or so, misses out this time. He's paying for a modest home season - 457 Pura Cup runs at 41.54, as against Lehmann's 772 at 64.33.

What Trevor Hohns and his fellow selectors have spotted is that Australia have to win the series in South Africa in order to retain custody of the ICC mace as the world's top team. Defeat, or even a draw, will mean that Shaun Pollock will grab it.

With that in mind, you have to play your best team. Planning for the future can wait a month or two.

Australia's squad (current ages in brackets): Matthew Hayden (30), Justin Langer (31), Ricky Ponting (27), Mark Waugh (36), Steve Waugh (capt; 36), Damien Martyn (30), Darren Lehmann (31), Adam Gilchrist (wk; 30), Shane Watson (20), Shane Warne (32), Brett Lee (25), Andy Bichel (31), Jason Gillespie (26), Glenn McGrath (31), Stuart MacGill (30).

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