Mackenzie Harvey will make his Big Bash League debut for Melbourne Renegades this summer

Australian cricket will get a glimpse into the future this summer when exciting youngster Mackenzie Harvey, nephew of Victorian all-rounder Ian Harvey, makes his BBL debut.

Australia's Mackenzie Harvey hits a four during the One-Day Tour Match between Cricket Australia XI and England in January. Pic: AAP

Exciting youngster Mackenzie Harvey is set to make his Big Bash League debut for Melbourne Renegades this summer after he recovers from a sore shoulder.

The nephew of Victorian all-rounder Ian Harvey, who played 73 one-day games for Australia, is in contention to open the batting while Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris are on Test duty.

Harvey, who turned 18 in September, was named 12th man late last summer after being signed as a replacement player by the Renegades.

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“He’s a very talented batter and a brilliant fielder,” coach Andrew McDonald said.

“He’s a good ball striker, a left-hander — that appeals for us, we haven’t got many left-handers and now we’ve lost Marcus Harris as well — so that gives us a different option.

“He hits the ball into different areas and possesses power to clear the ropes.”

As a schoolboy, Harvey clubbed 59 from 48 balls against an England attack featuring Chris Woakes, Tom Curran, Moeen Ali, Liam Plunkett and Adil Rashid in a warm-up match last summer.

Fellow teenagers Will Sutherland and Zak Evans are also impressing but aren’t ready for BBL action yet, according to McDonald.

“Sutherland would have been had he been able to feature with the ball,” he said.

“He’s unfortunately suffered stress fractures in the JLT Cup and is unavailable to bowl, so we’re unlikely to see him.”

McDonald said fast bowler Evans, 18, boasted good speed but was still raw.

“Over 14 games I think you’ll see most lists use a lot of their players,” the coach said.

“There’ll be some debutants in the tournament through natural attrition in terms of some injuries and some players being rested. It is a brutal schedule — 14 games in that time frame, you’re probably not going to have many of your quicks play all the games.

“If you do, it’s going to be an incredible effort by the player and also the medical staff.”

Cricket Australia has doubled the length of the BBL season since it began in 2011.

Mackenzie Harvey in action for Victoria in a JLT match earlier this year. Pic: Getty Images

Last summer clubs played 10 regular-season games and that has risen to 14 this season.

Melbourne Stars all-rounder Jonathan Merlo, 19, is also likely to be in contention for the tournament.

The green team has been particularly impressed with his batting.

Stars coach Stephen Fleming said the expansion would test whether the BBL remains the world’s second-best T20 tournament, behind the lucrative Indian Premier League.

“I get nervous when a good thing is tinkered with,” Fleming said.

“I think it’s a long time to hold fans attention. Come February the cricket is going to have to be very good and I just hope the enthusiasm for the competition doesn’t dwindle.

“It’s up to us to provide the entertainment to make it sustainable and it’ll be an interesting debrief at the end of the season.”