Casson steps into big shoes

Beau Casson will enter the big time when he joins his new Australia team-mates at the national camp in Brisbane from Sunday. Casson, the left-arm wrist-spinner from New South Wales, was a surprise choice for the West Indies tour and will be trying to impress when the squad gets together.

"I'm feeling a little anxious now, but I'm also excited about meeting the guys in camp and I'm probably lucky that I'll have plenty of other New South Wales guys there to make me feel comfortable," Casson told the Daily Telegraph. "I had a bit of a break, but the last few weeks have been good and I've upped the ante in terms of training and making sure everything is right."

Casson has been working with the opener Phil Jaques while some of their team-mates have been operating in the Indian Premier League. In a strong finish to the season, Casson scored 89 and took four wickets in the Pura Cup final victory on the way to earning a national spot next to Stuart MacGill.

Following Brad Hogg's retirement, MacGill will return for Australia after wrist and knee injuries cut short his 2007-08 campaign. He will be the No. 1 slow-bowling option in the three-Test series against West Indies, which starts in Jamaica on May 22. The team leaves Australia on May 9.