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ADELAIDE, Tuesday (Reuters) - South Africa fast bowler Allan Donald has backed himself to get through all five days of the first test against Australia starting on Friday despite a string of recent injuries.

Donald, 35, took one for 100 off 25 overs in the drawn tour match against Western Australia where he was troubled by a toe problem.

"I'm nearly there but the confidence to go into a test match against Australia is a different thing. But I've always backed myself and I'll back myself again," said Donald, who has taken a national record 325 wickets in 69 tests.

Donald, who has not played a test since April, has battled influenza and an abdominal injury in recent months. Donald said he was having more problems with his accuracy than his fitness.

"The ball is coming out sweetly, it's just the odd one when you give away a four which breaks a good spell. That's the thing I need to work on right now," he said on Tuesday.

"Against Australia you have to bowl quality all the time.

"If the selectors want me to play, the consideration is that I might not have played enough cricket to justify playing in the first test.

"But I'm confident and I'd back myself to do the job if they want me to play. I'd love to play. I'll bowl a bit in the next couple of days and see how it goes."

Donald said he had considered retirement many times in the past six months but, despite illness and injury, he had retained his desire to play on.

"I'm very happy my hunger hasn't deserted me," he said. "I think that I'm more focused and up to the challenge than I have been for a number of seasons.

"It's fair to say that I've had a bit of a shocker for the past two years. I've had illnesses and a lot of bad luck, little things that kept me out of the game."

Donald played two first-class games for Orange Free State in October and the tour match against Western Australia this week since his return from injury and illness. 

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