The Volts pace bowler has been named in the side to play Northern Districts in Whangarei.
The first-class match gets under way tomorrow and Duffy is looking forward to unveiling his remodelled action.
"It feels like it has been a long time coming," Duffy said.
"I’ve been watching a lot of cricket and it will be nice to get some competition and bowl again."
The 22-year-old Southlander picked up some bad habits during the winter while trying to add pace. He was bowling roundarm and falling away towards cover in his follow through.The ball had stopped swinging for him and he was not able to bowl with the required accuracy. So Volts coach Rob Walter made the tough call to send him back to the nets to work on his action.
"It was feeling really good. I got the ball swinging and it was moving off the deck and I took some good wickets.‘‘I’m pretty happy with how it has come along.
"If I’m upright, then I’m getting that bounce off the deck and the seam is hitting the pitch."
Walter said there was still work to do but there were positive signs, as well.
"I don’t think we are there yet. There is still some fine-tuning to do, which we can do during the winter," Walter said.
"But he has certainly come on well enough to warrant playing. We are seeing the ball swinging again and his action is nice and strong and upright, which is good."
Duffy’s return is timely for the team. Otago has had an unfortunate run with injuries this summer and allrounder Josh Finnie is the latest player to join the casualty list.
He broke a bone in his hand during the weekend while playing for Otago A in development match against Canterbury Country at the University Oval.
The 20-year-old will miss the remainder of the season and will be a loss. He has scored 241 runs at an average of 40.16 in his last five first-class games and was just starting to find his rhythm at the top level.
Ryan Duffy and Neil Wagner are also out with finger injuries, while Neil Broom, Anaru Kitchen and Michael Bracewell have spent some time on the sidelines nursing broken bones in their hands.
A side strain and a knee and back complaint has ruled out Black Caps spinner Mark Craig since he returned home from the tour of India in September, and former New Zealand opener Hamish Rutherford is also struggling with back problem.
Fast bowler Warren Barnes dislocated his shoulder during the twenty20 campaign but is back bowling again. He needs to get his bowling loads up before he will be considered, though.
Seamer Jack Hunter has picked up a side strain and has glandular fever, as well.
Otago’s injury list this summer
Ryan Duffy (concussion, finger), Anaru Kitchen (finger), Mark Bracewell (finger), Neil Wagner (finger, shoulder), Hamish Rutherford (back), Mark Craig (side strain, knee, back), Jack Hunter (side strain, glandular fever), Neil Broom (finger), Josh Finnie (hand, ankle), Sam Wells (groin), Warren Barnes (shoulder), Jacob Duffy (knee).
Otago: Brad Wilson (captain), Michael Rippon, Sean Eathorne, Michael Bracewell, Anaru Kitchen, Derek de Boorder, Sam Wells, Christi Viljoen, Nathan Smith, Jacob Duffy, Michael Rae, Rhys Phillips.
