PORT ELIZABETH (AFP)
Australian prospect Shane Watson will make his debut for his country at St George's Park in a four-day tour match against South Africa A starting on Friday.

Watson, 20, who grew up in Queensland but now plays for Tasmania, was named on Thursday in the XI to face a team of South African Test hopefuls. As expected, the Aussie tour selectors left out four leading players in Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Matthew Hayden and Damien Martyn, but Steve Waugh will still lead a powerful line-up.

Joining the other seven players from the first Test are Watson, Darren Lehmann, Stuart MacGill and Andy Bichel. The side is hardly diminished in strength by the changes and after Thursday's practice, Lehmann said they would be determined to do well in this match.

"We'll be going full-out in this match and try to play as well as we can," said Lehmann, who will move to the unaccustomed position of opening batsman. He was not concerned about that change.

"It's just good to have an opportunity to have a game and hopefully we'll perform well," Lehmann said. "We'll be looking to start on a positive note."

Watson was overjoyed at the chance of making his debut for his country. "I'm really excited about this," he said after practice. "I didn't think I'd get a game on tour, but it will be really great to get out there and play with these guys."

Watson is a genuine allrounder, a role that has not been filled in the national team since Steve Waugh was forced by a bad back to give up regular bowling. The Aussies have hardly missed having a frontline allrounder in recent years, but Watson can make an impact for the future if he performs well over the next four days.

Watson said the squad's senior members had been helpful in passing on advice. "Basically they've told me to back myself and to play the way I have been in the Pura Cup," he said. "I've learnt a lot from them in the nets and by bowling to the top guys and it will be great to get out there in a match situation."

Australia hammered South Africa by an innings and 360 runs with two days to spare in the first Test at the Wanderers last weekend, the worst-ever Test defeat for the Proteas.

Teams
Australia 1 Darren Lehmann, 2 Justin Langer, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Mark Waugh, 5 Steve Waugh (capt), 6 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 7 Shane Watson, 8 Brett Lee, 9 Andy Bichel, 10 Jason Gillespie, 11 Stuart MacGill.

South Africa A 1 Jacques Rudolph, 2 Graeme Smith, 3 Martin van Jaarsveld, 4 Daryll Cullinan (capt), 5 Hashim Amla, 6 Justin Kemp, 7 Robin Peterson, 8 Gulam Bodi, 9 Thami Tsolekile (wk), 10 Dewald Pretorius, 11 Charl Willoughby.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd