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Young guns in frame for cult hero status

Every summer brings a substitute fielder that takes cricket by storm, so who are the contenders to feature this summer?

All the focus in the lead-up to the opening Magellan Ashes Test has been around selection for the Australian playing XI. But there's another spot that will be filled which history shows could well have an important role to play.

The substitute fielder has played a key role in recent Australian summers, and made a cult hero for the crowds that flock to Test cricket.

Chris Sabburg enjoyed some fame after he ran in from the deep to catch Kevin Pietersen at the Gabba in 2013.

Sabburg on his marvellous Ashes moment

And Marnus Labuschagne, now a regular fixutre in the Queensland Bulls side, took a memorable diving catch at bat pad – having practised catching cut corn in his kitchen.

And last year the beach blond locks of Mickey Edwards made him a fan favourite at the SCG – and added to the occasion for Test debutant Hilton Cartwright.

Labuschagne re-lives his magic moment

"(The crowd) gives you a massive boost ... especially if they're quiet and then there's all of a sudden there's a huge rise in atmosphere, like last year in my first Test, Mickey Edwards came on as a sub fielder," Cartwright told cricket.com.au recently.

"The game was going along, we were doing really well, and then he came on and the crowd just grabbed hold of him and they're like, 'Oh Mickey you're so fine…'

"It just started circling the stadium and everyone went from being, not flat, but not knowing how long we’re going to be in the field, to really up and about.

"Them singing, having him on the field, him getting the ball, it was almost like a bit of an adrenaline rush."

But it's not just an ability to become a viral social media hit or darling of the terraces that earns a cricketer a substitute role.

Ever since Gary Pratt ran out Ricky Ponting at Trent Bridge in 2005 sub fielders have been hand-picked for the ability to add something to the Australian cricket team.

So, with that in mind, here's a look at some of the gun up-and-coming fielders we might see patrolling the outfield or taking a ripper catch this summer.

Jason Floros

A noted fielder who is deceptively athletic in the field, Jason Floros has got the nod as first choice substitute fielder for Australia in the opening Test at the Gabba. The left-handed middle-order batsman who also bowls right-arm off-spin, the 26-year-old Canberra native has played a handful of first-class games for the Queensland Bulls and is a Brisbane Heat regular where his fielding comes into its own in the T20 format. A former Australia Under-19 representative, he has captained Queensland's one-day team, and jokes that his agility in the field comes from wrangling his two pet snakes at home.

Matthew Kuhnemann

A promising 21-year-old left-arm spinner who has represented Australia at U19 level, Kuhnemann is another athletic Queenslander from the Gold Coast that could get a Gabba run. He played one game of the JLT One-Day Cup this season, and took a good catch on the boundary line sliding on his knees to end the innings of Peter Nevill. 

Kuhnemann's safe hands in the deep

Luke Robins

A safe pair of hands and a canon for a right arm has seen this Northern Territory product sub for the Australians before, taking the field last summer in the day-night Test against South Africa. That experience will serve him well if called upon in an Ashes series. A medium-pace bowler, the 23-year-old Robbins currently plays for East Torrens CC and is a current Emerging Redbacks squad member.

Daniel Drew

A rising star in South Australia, Drew won the SACA Premier Cricket Bradman Medal last year. A very athletic fielder with great reflexes, Drew has very safe hands and is swift across the turf, which allows this off-spinner to field in the ring or on the fence.

Ben Pengelley

A rookie contracted player with South Australia, Pengelley is another rising star who has proved to be a gun in the field. Pengelley has taken the long-way round to reach this level – literally. His parents made the 800km round-trip from their home in Whyalla to Adelaide twice a week during cricket season for five years. Pengelley was this year part of CA's National Performance Squad and smashed a rapid half-century against Queensland in the JLT Cup.

Jake Carder

Cowan caught short by Carder classic

Carder is a promising Western Australian with a powerful and accurate throwing arm who could feature as a third Test substitute fielder at the WACA. A talented opening batsman that scored a century in the JLT Cup for CA XI, he moves quickly to the ball and has a quick release with a powerful throw. Best of all he is very accurate and hits the stumps with regularity in matches. He was involved in two terrific run outs, including a direct hit with one stump to aim at to remove Marcus Harris plus the Ed Cowan dismissal in the video above, during the JLT Cup and is developing a reputation as an excellent fielder at point and cover.

Matthew Kelly

This 22-year-old is a tall and agile fielder that is confident with high balls as well as catching in specialist areas. He is clean with his hands and has a powerful throw. He played for WA in the JLT Cup and took eight wickets before making his first-class debut in opening round of the JLT Sheffield Shield against Tasmania. He might yet be in action for the State side, but with Australia's Under 19 training camp ahead of the World Cup on at the same time, we could see some more familiar faces on the WACA outfield.

Blake Thomson

A highly talented Ballarat export, Blake Thomson is very quick on his feet, both when fielding and batting, and his strong arm makes him a handy fielder anywhere on the ground. He was a prolific run-scorer at the 2015-16 Under-19 National Championships and earned a rookie contract with the Bushrangers the following summer. Before being upgraded to the full list this year. He made his List A debut for Victoria against the CA XI in the JLT Cup, playing three matches.

Mackenzie Harvey

Prodigiously talented and the nephew of former Australia allrounder Ian Harvey, Mackenzie is a name you could be hearing a lot more of in future years. Captain of the Victoria Metro Under-17 side, he has consistently earned praise for his fielding, covering ground quickly within the circle to stop opposition singles and noted for his ability to read the game and shots off the bat. He is also an incredibly talented and nimble batsman and the same pace that makes him a threat in the field helps him rotate the strike and build strong partnerships. His next step on the cricket pathway is at the upcoming Under-19 National Championships, where he will play for a CA XI comprising the best U17 talent. It will be Harvey's second trip to the U19 championships – he played in the same team last year as a 16-year-old.

Ryan Gibson

Substitute fielding candidates for the Sydney Test could be limited by BBL commitments and the looming Under 19 World Cup. But Sydney Thunder listed Ryan Gibson would be top of the list if available. The 23-year-old is known in Cricket NSW circles for his commitment to the art of fielding, and is one of the hardest trainers in that discipline. He has uncanny anticipation prowling in the ring, runs good angles to cut off singles and has a canon for a right arm. He's played five first-class games, most recently against England in Townsville for the CA XI.

Josh Clarke

So renowned for his ability in the field, this Hawkesbury left-armer has been a regular in the Australian dressing room at the SCG over the past couple of years. An excellent mover across the outfield and all-round athletic ability has impressed the Aussies over the past couple of seasons and he could be on the sidelines again come January. He's been on the fringe of the NSW Blues squad for the past couple of seasons and has again been carving it up in Premier Cricket, averaging 63 this summer.

Austin Waugh

Austin Waugh on comparisons to father Steve

Wouldn't this get the SCG crowd going! The son of legendary skipper Steve Waugh is an unlikely starter for the sub-fielder role at the SCG given the high probability he'll be involved in Australia's Under 19 World Cup preparations, but he's been making waves as a supremely talent fielder in the under-age ranks. Quick across the turf, deadly accurate with a powerful arm, there's a lot to like about him.

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers.

England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.

First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Buy tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Join the ACF

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21