 Tait has only 27 first-class games under his belt |
Paceman Shaun Tait will make his Test debut for Australia in Thursday's fourth Ashes encounter at Trent Bridge. The 22-year-old got the nod ahead of Glamorgan's Michael Kasprowicz as the tourists look for an alternative to the out-of-form Jason Gillespie.
Tait becomes the first Australian bowler to make his debut in an Ashes match since Matt Nicholson in 1998-99.
"We've had trouble facing him in the nets, I expect the England batsmen will have some trouble," said Ricky Ponting.
Kasprowicz could still feature for the Aussies if fast bowler Glenn McGrath fails to shake off an elbow injury.
McGrath, who missed the second Test with an ankle injury, complained of soreness in his right elbow during Tuesday's practice at Trent Bridge and has already had a scan.
Meanwhile, Australia captain Ricky Ponting, whose side are all square at 1-1 in the five-Test series, is relishing the chance to unleash Tait, who has a slingy action and can swing the ball.
Ponting said: "He knows we want him and need him to run in, bowl fast and try to get wickets for us. That is the way he will be used in this Test match.
"He might not have the best control in the world but when he gets it right he has that ability to be very dangerous.
"Looking at the conditions here the ball should swing around a bit which will make it even more difficult to combat him.
"Dizzy (Gillespie) has gone for a few anyway, he has not been at his best and able to contain batsmen for periods of time so if you add that up Tait might go for a few runs but he has that wicket-taking ability.
"If we set the right sort of fields to him at different stages and use him and Brett Lee in shorter bursts in the next two games I think we will be able to cope."
Tait had an unsuccessful spell with Durham last summer - taking no wickets for 176 runs from 18 overs in his only two County Championship matches - and was then released.
But he had a superb season with South Australia back in Adelaide, taking 65 wickets in the Pura Cup, the second-best return in the history of Australia's first-class competition.
And though Tait still has only 27 first-class games under his belt, Ponting is certain he will have an impact at Trent Bridge.
"We have all been pretty excited by the prospect of him playing at some stage of this Ashes tour after what he did in Australia last year," he added.
"He has produced some good pace in the nets and has been some hard work for all of us over the last couple of months.
"Shaun is a young bloke who is dying to get out and have a crack at cricket at the highest level.
"He is someone with a unique sort of action and that out-and-out striking ability which is very exciting for all of his team-mates to be standing in the slips or in the field when he is running in to bowl."
MMIX
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We have all been pretty excited by the prospect of him playing at some stage of this Ashes tour after what he did in Australia last year
