Teenage pace sensation Mahli Beardman will get his first senior experience in national colours after being named as a standby for Australia’s ODI squad.
Beardman, who was player of the match in this year’s Under-19 World Cup final triumph over India, will join the 17-player group in Nottingham as the tourists face depleted pace stocks due to injury and management.
Left-armer Ben Dwarshuis joined the squad ahead of the washed out third T20 in Manchester and will now stay on for the five-match 50-over series beginning Thursday (9.30pm AEST) at Trent Bridge.
Cooper Connolly, who made his T20 international debut against Scotland and featured in the second T20 against England, will also stay on with the ODI squad having initially only been named for the T20s.
Australia ODI squad v England: Mitch Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa. Reserve: Mahli Beardman
Experienced players Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey return for the 50-over matches.
Australia have already lost Nathan Ellis to a hamstring injury prior to the Scotland series, Riley Meredith only played one match after experiencing side soreness and Xavier Bartlett was ruled out of the tour on Friday after sustaining a side strain in the series opener at Southampton.
Pat Cummins is missing from the month-long white-ball tour to focus on strength and conditioning ahead of the five-Test home summer against India, while Starc has only joined the group this week after sitting out the T20s.
Josh Hazlewood is also being carefully managed following a calf complaint that saw him miss the Scotland series and was rested from their three-wicket loss to England in Cardiff on Friday.
Left-armer Spencer Johnson went down with a side strain after initially being named in the T20 squad, while West Australian speedsters Jhye Richardson and Lance Morris weren’t considered as they are carefully managed following a string of injuries.
Will Sutherland, who made his ODI debut in February, also spent another off-season rehabilitating a back stress-related injury.
Dwarshuis will be the fourth specialist paceman in the ODI series alongside Starc, Hazlewood and Sean Abbott, with allrounders Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie and captain Mitch Marsh to provide support.
“There will be opportunities for guys throughout the series, no doubt,” Marsh told cricket.com.au following the drawn T20 series.
“Five games in 11 days, we’ll have to juggle a bit, but guys will get opportunities and a lot like the T20 series, we’re really excited by that.”
Beardman and Connolly have been on the Australian bench for Perth matches in the past two summers as part of Cricket Australia’s under-19 induction program.
The 19-year-old raw talent is capable of hitting speeds over 140kph but has so far played just one List A game for WA. He took 3-15 to help Australia U19s down India in the World Cup final in February.
“It’s pretty surreal, just so unexpected,” Beardman said from Perth Airport before departing for the UK.
“I started the morning off with a little message from Tony (Dodemaide); I didn’t think it was real to be honest, I thought it might have been one of the boys pranking me.
“But I gave him a call back and got talking and he said come over to England to train and be around the squad.”
Qantas Tour of the UK 2024
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Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood (England games only), Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Riley Meredith, Matt Short (England games only), Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
September 4: Australia beat Scotland by seven wickets
September 6: Australia beat Scotland by 70 runs
September 7: Australia beat Scotland by six wickets
September 11: Australia beat England by 28 runs
September 13: England beat Australia by three wickets
September 15: Match abandoned
Australia ODI squad: Mitch Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa. Reserve: Mahli Beardman
September 19: First ODI v England, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 9.30pm AEST
September 21: Second ODI v England, Headingley, Leeds, 8pm AEST
September 24: Third ODI v England, Riverside, Chester-le-Street, 9.30pm AEST
September 27: Fourth ODI v England, Lord’s, London, 9.30pm AEST
September 29: Fifth ODI v England, County Ground, Bristol, 8pm AEST
