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Richardson seizes his chance with eye to WC

The hectic international schedule opened the door for him and now Kane Richardson has the World Cup in his sights

If Australia’s men’s cricket team hadn’t been in two places at once, fast bowler Kane Richardson might not have a plane ticket to England with an opportunity to push his case for a spot in next year’s World Cup.

Last summer, the overcrowded cricket calendar forced Cricket Australia to pick two separate squads for Australia’s overlapping four-Test tour of South Africa and the T20 tri-series against England and New Zealand.

It meant while all-format bowlers Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were building their bowling loads with a red ball in South Africa, the likes of Richardson, Billy Stanlake and Andrew Tye had a free run at showcasing their abilities and gaining valuable experience at international level.

The T20 trio didn’t disappoint, as they, along with an explosive batting unit, powered Australia to five consecutive wins and the tri-series title.

Check out Australia's new-look ODI squad

So when Starc and Cummins were ruled out of the ODI Qantas Tour of England through injury, Australia’s National Selection Panel would have had no hesitation in selecting the quicks who did the job at the back end of the summer.

"I know people are often quick to criticise the schedule for those clashes, but for someone like me who is on the fringes of the team when they’re full strength it’s an amazing opportunity to know you’re going to get a lot of game time," Richardson told cricket.com.au.

"I think the performances of a few people in that series really put them up the pecking order.

"So now going forward whenever the guys are injured you’re around the mark to be ready to play."

Richardson stars with the ball against England

It’s only May, but 2018 has already been a big year for Richardson.

Along with nailing his chance in the T20 team, earning selection for Australia’s upcoming limited-overs tours to England and Zimbabwe and most importantly getting married, the 27-year-old was awarded a CA contract for the first time in his career, excluding the times he got upgraded by playing enough international fixtures.

"I got the contract call the week of the wedding," he said. "When I saw Trevor Hohns ringing I didn’t understand why he was ringing.

"I thought he got wind of my wedding and wanted to wish me all the best. But he gave me the good news and that was completely unexpected because usually you hear whispers of stuff like that but I didn’t hear anything."

Richardson and his 14 teammates in the ODI squad will have no better chance to put their hands up for a World Cup berth than a five-match series against the best team in the world in the country where the quadrennial showpiece is to be staged.

The right-armer was on the radar for Australia’s 2015 World Cup squad but failed to grab his opportunities in the lead-up to the tournament as the ‘Big Three’ of Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood joined Mitchell Johnson to form the fast bowling pack.

Four years ago, he was picked primarily on his reputation as a death bowler, and while those skills at the close of an innings remain, the 2018 version has more strings to his bow.

"I think when I was young (death bowling) was how I made a name for myself in domestic cricket and then I got opportunities over in India (in the IPL),” he said.

"I still think that’s something that I’m willing and capable of doing, but there are areas of improvement and there’s so much more to an innings than just closing out at the death.

"I still want to be a consistent bowler who knows which way the ball is swinging and when, a bowler who can put it on a dime from the first spell in the powerplay. That’s what I’m focusing on, but I still think I can execute to a decent degree at the end of the innings.”

Australia name T20 squad for UK, Zimbabwe tours

Despite holding a British passport, Richardson has never bowled a ball in England, and aims to give everything he has to securing a spot in Australia’s 2019 World Cup squad.

“I just want to give myself every opportunity to play a World Cup,” he said.

“If that means I do make it or not it’s just about giving yourself every opportunity, and if you’re not good enough then you can live with that.

“It’s all about staying injury free and giving yourself every chance of being successful.”

Qantas tours of England and Zimbabwe

ODI squad: Tim Paine (c), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, 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