shaun tait

Born: 22.02.1983
State: South Australia
Tests: 2
Role: Bowler
Bat: Right-hand
Bowl: Right-arm fast
Bat Average: 8.00
Bowl Average: 42.00

Capable of bowling rapidly from a strong shoulder action, Shaun Tait was Australia's wildcard on the 2005 Ashes tour after leading the wicket-taking charts in the 2004/05 Pura Cup.

He played two Tests as the tourists' quick men struggled, but was surprised at the ease with which his pace was handled at the highest level.

He bowls a mix of yorkers and bouncers, and generates prodigious reverse swing, but was perhaps guilty of trying too hard in England and has so far failed to add to those two Test caps.

His action makes him injury-prone - he needed surgery on his shoulder shortly after the Ashes, while a back problem ended his trip to South Africa - but these setbacks don't appear to have hurt his pace.

While raw, the talent is clearly there, and Tait will be fighting with left-armer Mitchell Johnson to earn a place alongside the more established quicks in the Australian armoury.