Elliott hoping to rise from the Ashes

Elliott has not joined Gillespie at the Ashes party

BBC Sport Online's Hugh Westbrook reveals the whereabouts of Australia's forgotten hero from the 1997 Ashes.

English cricket fans could be forgiven for asking 'Whatever happened to Matthew Elliott?'

The left-handed opener was the star of Australia's success in England four years ago, with centuries at Lord's and Headingley among his 566 runs and, at 29, he would have been expected to be a lynchpin of the current Australian team.

Yet Elliott is currently back home in Australia, missing out while his countrymen retain the Ashes and, having been dropped from the Australian Cricket Board's list of contracted players after a run of lean form, he seems as far away as ever from reclaiming his baggy green cap.

They never picked me in the past and with good reason. But I haven't given up my Test ambitions.

Matthew Elliott

But if the player himself is disappointed, he certainly has not given that impression

"A small part of me wishes I was over there," he told BBC Sport Online. "But I'm really happy with the way training is going. That's my main focus and you can't play for Australia if you don't play well for Victoria.

"I haven't watched much of the series," he added. "It's mainly because of the coverage here. They only start showing it from the second session shortly before midnight. We're training in the mornings and if I'm up late watching it, that's a bit counter productive."

While happy Australia have retained the Ashes, Elliott has been disappointed by the series.

"From a cricket point of view I want to see countries compete with Australia, I want to see a good contest. It has been a little bit disappointing because England had made such good strides before the series," he said.

Elliott struck two centuries in 1997

Elliott has not given up on hopes of regaining his Test spot.

But he feels that claiming a place in the one-day side is his best route back to the international set-up, which will be difficult given that he was not part of the one-day set-up even when a fixture in the Test XI.

"They never picked me in the past and with good reason because I'd never really done much. But now I'm more consistent and I want to improve my fielding and maybe I can sneak into a one-day squad," Elliott stated.

"I haven't given up my Test ambitions, but I think there's more of an opportunity for players if they get into the one-day set-up.

"A lot of players have gone from good one-day series to get into Test matches. There's more one-day cricket being played, so they're looking to rest some of the players for some matches and I think that might be the best way to get back in."

In the meantime, Elliott has been resting and working on his knee, which he has undergone a number of operations. Only now is he ready to get a bat in his hand once more before the new domestic season starts.

Elliott: Not forgotten for long.

It is an important season for Elliott, who has been named as Victoria's one-day captain.

The state hierarchy may be grooming him to take over from Paul Reiffel as overall skipper and Elliott is excited by the possibilities.

"I've been playing for quite a bit now I'm not involved so much in international cricket and captaincy is probably the next step and I'm looking forward to taking it," he said.

Elliott played for Glamorgan in the county championship last season, but did not return due to needing a break and wanting to give himself the time to pursue his leadership ambitions.

"I loved the experience. The county was very good to me and my family and I really enjoyed my time. I'd like to go back and play in the championship again, but I think I'd go when I didn't think I could play for Australia again."

He has shown he can be a success at international level and, although his ambitions for Victoria are now at the forefront of his mind, Australia's fans may not have seen the last of Matthew Elliott on the highest stage.