Dukes dynamo Michael Neser was as shocked as anybody to learn of Josh Hazlewood's back injury, having watched the paceman impress in the nets on Monday.
Neser, who has been called up for Australia's tour of England in place of Hazlewood, was among the top-up players invited to train with the ODI squad in Brisbane.
England-bound: Michael Neser has been called in for Josh Hazlewood.
Photo: AAP
Medicos decided late on Monday it would be best if Hazlewood skipped the trip to London because of his back problem, worried it could develop into a stress fracture.
The squad change came so late that Neser didn't board the team's flight on Monday night, instead departing a day later by himself. "It caught me off guard a little bit," Neser told reporters in Brisbane on Tuesday.
"He (Hazlewood) was bowling quite well actually. That was the last thing I was expecting, for Josh to be ruled out. It's really disappointing for him. I'm looking forward to going over. Mum is through the roof, she was on the phone to me last night in tears."
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Neser was born in South Africa then moved to the Gold Coast at age 10.
The stakes are now high for the swing specialist, who should delight in English conditions as he bids to make his international debut in the absence of injured stars Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.
England host both the World Cup and Ashes next year, with both events already in the back of new coach Justin Langer's mind.
Neser, who regularly produced unplayable deliveries with the English Dukes ball during the second half of the recent Sheffield Shield season, now has a golden chance to impress Langer.
"The Dukes balls (being used in Shield cricket) definitely helped my chances of getting selected for Australia," the Queensland quick said. "This tour is the first priority. All my focus is on white-ball cricket at the moment. But my dream is still to play Test cricket."
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