5 Aug 2014

Lyon, Marsh picked in Aussie ODI squad

1:52 pm on 5 August 2014

The spinner Nathan Lyon has been gifted a World Cup audition with Australian selectors hoping short-form cricket doesn't ruin his Test career.

Lyon, quick Kane Richardson and allrounder Mitch Marsh are among a 14-man squad, but in-form Australia A batsman Phil Hughes missed out on the tour of Zimbabwe later this month.

Lyon has played just two one day internationals, the last in March 2012, in a ploy from selectors to preserve his attacking Test weapons.

The chief selector Rod Marsh says Lyon has proven he can get people out in Test match cricket and they're hoping now that he can get people out in one-day cricket.

Mitch Marsh's rapid bowling, rather than his batting, won his selection for four one-dayers from August 25 - two each against Zimbabwe and South Africa - and a possible final.

And if the West Australian can retain his pace, a World Cup is in the offing.

The south Australian Kane Richardson is also in the World Cup frame, with the speedster overcoming a running on the pitch problem which led to him being banned from further bowling in his sole ODI in January last year.