BRISBANE, Australia, CMC – West Indies will be tested by the pace of fast bowler Alister McDermott after the teenager was picked in a 12-man Queensland squad to face the tourists in their four-day first class match starting tomorrow.
It will be the 18-year-old right-armer’s first class debut after performing impressively in the domestic Ford Ranger Cup competition, grabbing nine wickets at an average of 21.55 to force the selectors’ hands.
He is the son of former Australian fast bowler Craig McDermott who grabbed 291 wickets in 71 Tests between 1984 and 1996.
Young McDermott snared 14 wickets in the 2007/08 season during the national Under-17 championships before turning out for Gold Coast in his maiden first-grade game.
He will be one of two fast bowlers on debut as 25-year-old Luke Feldman has also been included to face the Windies.
Feldman is a former Queensland and Australian Country player and has also been in fine form for Valley in the First Grade premiership. Last month, he was impressive for Queensland Academy of Sport against Victoria in the Futures League match, snatching four for 102.
Meanwhile, 25-year-old left-hander Nathan Reardon has been included for his second first class match in the squad that will be led by Chris Simpson.
Reardon, a powerful one-day and Twenty20 batsman, was Man-of-the-Match in Saturday’s Ford Ranger Cup victory over South Australia and will be looking to extend his run of form.
The match could also see former team and flatmates Nathan Rimmington and West Indies Brendan Nash squaring off.
Rimmington, a 27-year-old fast bowler, shared a house with left-arm seamer Mitchell Johnson and Nash during their playing days at Queensland several years ago.
Nash, born in Australia to Jamaican parents, returned to the Caribbean two years ago after failing to secure a contract extension with Queensland.
The match, scheduled for the Allan Border Field, is the only tour match before West Indies face Australia in the first Test at the Gabba starting November 26.
SQUAD – Chris Simpson (captain), Ryan Broad, Lee Carseldine, Daniel Doran, Luke Feldman, Chris Hartley, Nick Kruger, Alister McDermott, Nathan Reardon, Nathan Rimmington, Wade Townsend, Scott Walter (12th man).