T20 run gives hope to raw pace attack

Australia's bowling attack will look to replicate last summer's T20 tri-series triumph in this month's one-day series against an England side ranked the world's best.

After completing a 4-0 Ashes win over England in January, Australia then suffered a 4-1 ODI series defeat to the same opponent before heading into a T20 tri-series that also featured New Zealand without their key quicks, who were en route to South Africa with the Test squad.

But the Aussies stormed through that tri-series to claim the title, winning all five matches with a fast bowling line-up of Billy Stanlake, Kane Richardson and AJ Tye.

Now that bowling group has been reunited in the 50-over format while Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and allrounder Mitchell Marsh are all on the mend with various injuries.

Richardson, with the grand total of 15 ODI appearances, is Australia's most experienced bowler in the format on tour in England. He believes that T20 success gives the Aussies every reason to be confident ahead of June's World Cup dress rehearsal.

"That's what I thought about on the plane over, it's actually quite a similar team to the one in the T20s that beat England and New Zealand," Richardson said on Sunday at the squad's first training session in south London.

"Although we're inexperienced we've done pretty well as an attack together. That's all we are thinking about.

"You get confidence when you're together, and you're young and you do well. Those guys, especially Billy (Stanlake), would have taken so much out of that tournament.

"AJ (Tye) is quite a senior bowler in terms of international and domestic cricket (he was the leading wicket-taker in this year's IPL tournament) so there's guys in our team full of confidence."

The injuries to the key quicks have illustrated how fickle the fitness gods can be. Starc suffered a tibial bone stress reaction in his right leg, Cummins played 13 Tests in a row before he developed swelling in a joint in his back and Hazlewood was all but at the Qantas plane before he was benched when some back pain developed.

The injuries have given a bowling unit that had such success in the T20 format a shot in one-day cricket, and could see Dukes ball specialist Michael Neser earn an ODI cap.

With Australia's opening match of the World Cup less than a year away, the prospect of being part of a tilt at an unprecedented sixth trophy has come into sharp focus, although Richardson is typically cautious.

"Those three guys are going to be back at some stage," he said of the injured trio. "It's all about doing as much as you can when you're given the opportunity.

"Whether that means you get picked in the World Cup squad it's probably irrelevant, you just try and do your best and take as many wickets as you can. That's all I've really thought about. "

Australia play two warm-up matches against Sussex and Middlesex before the first ODI against England on June 13.

Qantas tours of England and Zimbabwe

ODI squad: Tim Paine (c), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye

T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth

Qantas Tour of England

June 7: Warm-up v Sussex, Hove (D/N)

June 9: Warm-up v Middlesex, Lord's

June 13: First ODI, The Oval (D/N)

June 16: Second ODI, Cardiff

June 19: Third ODI, Trent Bridge (D/N)

June 21: Fourth ODI, Durham (D/N)

June 24: Fifth ODI, Old Trafford

June 27: Only T20, Edgbaston (D/N)

Qantas T20I tri-series Tour of Zimbabwe

Sunday, July 1: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

Monday, July 2: Pakistan vs Australia

Tuesday, July 3: Australia vs Zimbabwe

Wednesday, July 4: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

Thursday, July 5: Pakistan vs Australia

Friday, July 6: Australia vs Zimbabwe

Sunday, July 8: Final