Wait worth it for Siddle

NO Australian cricketer has waited longer for an ODI recall than Peter Siddle, who has used the Big Bash League to catapult into World Cup calculations.

The 34-year-old Siddle will face India at the SCG today, playing his first ODI since 2010.

Siddle’s break between 50over games for Australia is unprecedented, with the previous longest stretch being wicket- keeper Tim Zoehrer (1987-94). Siddle has a golden chance to ensure his comeback fares better than that of Zoehrer, who played a single ODI in 1994 because of an Ian Healy injury and was ushered into first-class retirement when WA signed Adam Gilchrist.

Siddle doesn’t boast express pace but has earned a reputation as being the Adelaide Strikers’ ice-cold finisher with the ball.

Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins loom as automatic selections in Australia’s World Cup squad, as they had been throughout the four-test series against India when Siddle was constantly running drinks.

But if the Victorian can replicate his impressive BBL form while troubling Virat Kohli’s team during the three-match series, he could easily join the star trio on the plane to En- gland. “With those World Cup spots up for grabs for a lot of people, you definitely see the best come of a lot of blokes,” the veteran said.

“You are playing against one of the best one-day teams in the world.

“We may not be at full strength … but at the same time, it’s opportunities.

“I never thought I’d get the opportunity to play one-day cricket for Australia again. I’d probably forgotten about it really … I feel like a young kid getting his first opportunity.” Aaron Finch confirmed that was the case, laughing that Siddle had been acting “like an eight-year-old” at times.

“He’s someone who every team loves having around,” Finch said. “He well an truly deserves his spot and, any tour you go on, Sidds is one of the first picked, I would think – for what he brings to the team and the skill set he has.” Siddle joining the Strikers in 2017 has turned out to be the obvious catalyst for his ODI call-up.

“How quickly he improved was unbelievable and he’s kept doing that,” Finch said. Siddle suggested T20 was the ideal arena for a fast bowler to hone their one-day craft.

Variations are all the rage in limited-overs cricket but the old-fashioned yorker has been a potent weapon for Siddle.