Jhye Richardson has taken a significant step towards a potential Test recall after being named in the Cricket Australia XI squad to face England Lions at Lilac Hill in Perth next week.
Richardson has recently made his return to club cricket after undergoing shoulder surgery earlier this year in an attempt to fix long-standing problems which have curtailed his international career.
He has remained a centrally contracted player over the last two years and the selectors retain hope he could be ready to be parachuted into the Ashes later in the series if required.
Australia are already without Pat Cummins for at least the first Test while Sean Abbott has also been ruled out with a hamstring injury. There was a scare around Josh Hazlewood who reported some hamstring tightness but he has been cleared.
Richardson sent down 18 overs across two games for his club side Fremantle in recent weeks and is likely to be on restricted loads during the four-day game against the Lions which will run currently with the first Test at Optus Stadium.
Jake Fraser-McGurk is the only other player with international experience in the CA XI squad which consists of emerging talent with the game running alongside the fifth round of the Sheffield Shield.
However, a member of Australia's Test squad could be added once the XI to face England is named which would open the door for the likes of Josh Inglis or Brendan Doggett to get some game time and still be close enough to the Test if a concussion sub was required.
Cricket Australia XI squad vs England Lions
Mackenzie Harvey (capt), Aidan O'Connor, Cameron McClure, Charlie Anderson, Jack Sinfield, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Jake Scott, Jhye Richardson, Liam Blackford, Nivethan Radhakrishnan, Teague Wyllie, Xavier Crone