MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Mahli Beardman, a 19-year-old fast bowler with one senior professional cricket match under his belt, was thrown into the spotlight in Australia on Tuesday after selectors named him standby for the ODI series in England.
Western Australian Beardman’s call-up follows his player-of-the-match performance in the under-19 World Cup final against India in February.
Pat Cummins and other leading quicks are skipping the England series, which has little context and nothing really at stake.
Several other pacers are unavailable due to injury including Spencer Johnson and Nathan Ellis.
However, Beardman’s selection over a slew of more experienced candidates raised eyebrows in Australia, which rarely picks players based on potential alone.
Beardman, who is capable of bowling above 140 km/hr and has been mentored by Australia’s pace icon Dennis Lillee, also found it hard to believe when contacted by one of Australia’s selectors.
“I started the morning off with a little message from Tony (Dodemaide),” he said.
“I didn’t think it was real, to be honest, I thought it might have been one of the boys pranking me.”
If no injuries strike among the bowlers in the squad, Beardman may not bowl a ball in the five-match series against England starting on Thursday.
However, his promotion is a sign selectors are taking the long view as the nation’s formidable pace trio of Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc move deeper into their 30s.
It is also an echo of Hazlewood’s selection in the one-day squad in 2010, a few months after being named player-of-the-match in the 2010 under-19 World Cup final against Pakistan.
Beardman said he was eager to rub shoulders with Australia’s pace champions.
“Mitch Starc and ‘Hoff’ (Hazlewood), it’s just unbelievable knowledge and an invaluable experience so I can’t wait to get over there and soak up as much knowledge as possible,” he said.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Jamie Freed)
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