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Middle-order batsman David Hussey and spinner Xavier Doherty are two of the players on trial for World Cup spots on Sunday.
Australia named the pair for their opening one-day international against England at the MCG.
The match is the first of seven but the only one to be played before Wednesday’s deadline for Cricket Australia to name the 15-man squad for next month’s World Cup on the sub-continent.
Victoria’s Hussey, 33, hasn’t played an ODI game since August 2009, while Tasmania’s left-arm tweaker Doherty has edged out NSW spinner Nathan Hauritz for a spot in Sunday’s team.
While there may be room for both Hauritz and Doherty in a 15-man squad to play on the turning pitches of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India in the February 19-April 2 tournament, a good performance on Sunday from Doherty could be crucial for his World Cup hopes.
Pace bowler Mitchell Johnson will be rested, allowing left-arm quick Doug Bollinger a last-minute chance to impress.
“The (selection panel) continues to look closely at certain players as the deadline for ICC Cricket World Cup selection approaches,” Australia’s selector-on-duty Greg Chappell said on Saturday.
“We spoke to Nathan Hauritz in the week and advised him that if selected, the first game he plays in this series would be … at Bellerive, Hobart (game two on January 21).”
Australia had named a 14-man squad for only the first ODI, with a further squad expected to be announced on Tuesday for the remaining six games.
Acting skipper Michael Clarke says Sunday’s match will be a “very special” one as it marks the 40th anniversary of ODI cricket, which began on January 5, 1971 when Bill Lawry’s Australians beat Ray Illingworth’s England side by five wickets with 42 balls to spare.
Lawry’s team – including 1970s icons Ian Chappell, Greg Chappell and Doug Walters – will be presented to the crowd during the innings break.
Not only are the No.1-ranked Australians determined to make up for their Ashes defeat with a strong performance in the ODI series, both teams will be determined to get their houses in order for the World Cup.
Clarke, who is acting skipper while Ricky Ponting nurses a broken finger, says the England series is the perfect preparation.
He doesn’t see any dramas in juggling the twin goals of beating England and preparing for a World Cup title defence.
“We’ve got a huge World Cup ahead of us and these seven games are pretty important to build momentum going into that World Cup,” he said.
“It’s a wonderful time for both teams with the World Cup not too far away now and I think it is special that 40 years (ago) this great form of the game started.”
Clarke said he would take over the crucial No.3 batting spot in Ponting’s absence.
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