Worrall named to make ODI debut

Swing bowler Daniel Worrall will become the 214th Australian men’s team ODI representative when he makes his international debut against Ireland in the South African centre of Benoni tomorrow.

Captain Steve Smith confirmed that Worrall, who was struggling to make a name for himself at Premier Cricket in Melbourne just four years ago, will be the sole uncapped player in the starting XI for tomorrow’s one-off match.

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The 25-year-old, who acknowledged yesterday that his big break came when he was signed on a rookie contract with South Australia before the 2012-13 season, is one of three untried quicks in the current 14-man squad along with fellow Redbacks quick Joe Mennie and Victoria’s Chris Tremain.

Coach and selector Darren Lehmann has already foreshadowed that all three will earn an international call-up at some stage on this tour which also features five ODIs against South Africa starting at Centurion on Friday.

But it is swing specialist Worrall who will get first crack on a Benoni pitch that is likely to offer little pace and bounce but which was buffeted by a strong wind during the Australians’ sole training run at the venue today.

“He (Worrall) has worked very hard and he’s improved a lot over the last couple of years,” Smith said at the conclusion of today’s training session at the ground not far from Johannesburg.

“I think he’s got a lot stronger and he’s bowling with good pace and good shape.

“This series will be a good challenge for him, with Ireland tomorrow and then South Africa in this series in their conditions.

“I look forward to seeing how he, along with all the other quicks, will go.”

Worrall fills the sizeable boots of pace spearhead Mitchell Starc who was Australia’s stand-out bowler during their recent five-match ODI campaign in Sri Lanka, but who was to be rested from the South Africa tour before he suffered a serious laceration of his leg.

The other change to the XI that secured a 4-1 series win against Sri Lanka at Pallekele earlier this month is the return of Smith who missed the final weeks of that tour having returned to Australia for a break.

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He will effectively take the place of all-rounder James Faulkner who was ruled out of the Qantas Tour of South Africa with a calf strain, while opener Aaron Finch remains sidelined as he recovers from a finger fracture he sustained in Sri Lanka.

Smith said that he tuned into some of yesterday’s ODI between South Africa and Ireland at Benoni, where the home team scored a thumping 206-run win against an Irish outfit that was found wanting in most aspects of the game.

“We’ve had a little look at them,” Smith said when asked what he knew of an Irish opposition the Australians last faced during the ODI series that followed last year’s Ashes defeat in the UK.

“Their top-order is the most dangerous in their batting.

“(Paul) Stirling and the captain (Will) Porterfield, they like to get them off to a good start so they’re going to be the big scalps for us.

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“Hopefully we can play the way we play and put on a good show tomorrow.

“It looked like South Africa played pretty well (yesterday) and it looked like the wicket was quite slow.

“A little bit tacky in the morning, and there’s quite a lot of breeze here compared to other places we’ve been practising.

“It looks like it’s a pretty small ground so hopefully a big total for us tomorrow.”

Australia XI v Ireland: Khawaja, Warner, Smith (c), Bailey, M Marsh, Head, Wade, Hastings, Zampa, Worrall, Boland