Dynamo David given Cup long-shot with maiden ODI call-up

Tim David will be given the chance to make a second last-minute push for a World Cup spot in as many years as the star T20 finisher earnt his maiden ODI call-up.

After blazing 64 off just 28 balls in Australia's opening T20I against South Africa overnight, David's secondment for the ensuing one-dayers was announced only hours later as the visitors shored up their middle-order.

Some of the cavalry missing from the Aussies’ three-T20 series in Durban will return for the five-ODI campaign, but Steve Smith (wrist injury) and Glenn Maxwell (ankle injury and pending birth of his first child) will not feature until next month's three ODIs against India immediately preceding the World Cup in that country.

David is fast becoming indispensable to Australia’s T20 team and now has the opportunity to show his power game can translate to the longer white-ball format.

When Australia are at full strength, he faces stiff competition for a spot.

Smith, Maxwell, Mitch Marsh and Marcus Stoinis will be difficult to displace from middle-order berths, Cameron Green, Marnus Labuschagne and Josh Inglis (as a specialist batter) have all been tried in various roles in recent times, while Aaron Hardie was initially picked ahead of David.

But David's explosive finishing ability gives him an intriguing point of difference.

The unusual trajectory of his career, which has seen him vault from relative obscurity to one of the world's most in-demand T20 finishers over the past few years, has left 50-over cricket as an afterthought.

The 27-year-old has not played a List A match in nearly two years and has played more 50-over games for Surrey (10) and Singapore (five) than he has domestically in Australia. A solitary Marsh Cup match for Tasmania in November 2021 remains his most recent one-day match.

He has shown considerable promise in those limited outings, hitting two centuries in seven innings in the stint for Surrey in the UK's domestic one-day competition. His overall List A average of 83 is significantly inflated by half-centuries against Qatar, Denmark, Vanuatu and Malaysia.

A Proteas attack led by speedsters Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje will provide a sterner challenge.

Should David impress against them, it could vault him into calculations as another middle-order option for the World Cup, despite missing the initial 18-man provisional squad.

David made a late run to clinch a spot in Australia's T20 World Cup squad last year, making his international debut only weeks before the tournament.

"Tim is already here for the T20 series which offers an opportunity to see how his game can translate to the one-day format," said selector Tony Dodemaide said. "He will provide an extra option for us in that power role at the back end of an innings."

Stand-in captain Mitch Marsh, who put on 97 with David to fire Australia to their 111-run win over South Africa on Thursday morning (AEST), praised his fellow Western Australian's temperament.

"The great thing about Tim is he's very level-headed," said Marsh. "He knows his role in T20 cricket can be inconsistent. But his ability to win us matches is why he's in this team and we've got full faith in that.

"I want him to play however he wants to play every game and I know that if he does that, he'll win us games. He's an outstanding asset for Australian cricket."

2023 Qantas T20s v South Africa

August 30: Australia won by 111 runs

September 1: Second T20I, Durban (September 2, 2am AEST)

September 3: Third T20I, Durban, September 3, 10pm AEST

Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa

South Africa T20 squad: Aiden Markram (c), Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams, Rassie van der Dussen

2023 Qantas ODIs v South Africa

September 7: First ODI, Bloemfontein (D/N), 9pm AEST

September 9: Second ODI, Bloemfontein (D/N), 9pm AEST

September 12: Third ODI, Potchefstroom (D/N), 9pm AEST

September 15: Fourth ODI, Centurion (D/N), 9pm AEST

September 17: Fifth ODI, Johannesburg, 6pm AEST

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Tanveer Sangha, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Brjor Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen