Exciting quick picked for UK tour to have impact on field if selected, not to aid development

Riley Meredith is every chance to make his international debut when Australia hits English shores for its white ball tour, with his selection not based simply to provide exposure to national squad

Former Tasmanian and Australian cricket player turned selector George Bailey and current Australian Test cricket captain Tim Paine have teamed up with former AFL player Nick Riewoldt in securing the Tasmanian rights to start up Body Fit Training. Picture: Zak Simmonds

• Tassie tearaway earns national call-up
• Prime time exposure for Hobart Hurricanes

NATIONAL selector George Bailey has declared the selection of three uncapped players for Australia’s white-ball UK tour, including former teammate Riley Meredith, is not purely to fast track development.

Meredith is firmly in calculations to make his Australian debut when a 20-man squad leaves the country on Sunday, where it will play three ODIs and three T20 matches against England.

Joining the exciting pace prospect is Josh Philippe and Daniel Sams, with the trio of emerging stars representing the next wave of talent.

Bailey said their selections were not token spots to aid development for future years, but deserved inclusions as the team casts one eye to short form World Cup tournaments in coming years.

Hurricanes and Tasmanian fast bowler Riley Meredith will fly out for his first overseas international tour on Sunday. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

“We have had to take the bigger squad majorly on the advice that given we haven’t been playing cricket, there is a slightly higher risk of injury,” said Bailey, who has partnered with Test captain Tim Paine and AFL great Nick Riewoldt in securing the Tasmanian rights to new fitness franchise Body Fit Training.

“The testing protocols or bubble over there [in England], if people do have sniffles or need to go for testing, obviously there is the COVID side of it but if you wake up with a headache or sore throat, then you can’t train or play.

“We had to cover all bases.

“Really pumped for Riley, obviously on a personal level having been with him since he first joined the Tasmanian squad and seeing his development.

“Obviously there is a physical development as well but seeing the way he has lifted his training standards and mental application as well, it is great reward to see him on this trip.”

Bailey, who retired from domestic cricket at the end of last season’s Big Bash to take up his selectors role, said getting involved in Body Fit Training, which he described “as good as programming” as he had seen, was a way to bring elite level training techniques to every day punters.

BFT was founded by former AFL strength and conditioning coach and high performance manager Cameron Falloon, with Bailey, Paine and Riewoldt looking to open as many as eight studios in Tasmania.

Follow @ajsmiddy