Aussie keeper eyeing 'dream' home World Cup

Scott Edwards might not be a household cricket name yet but if there's one thing spurring the young Australian wicketkeeper on it’s the chance to play in a home World Cup.

It won't be for Australia but the thrill of playing on the global stage in front of family and friends will be the same regardless.

The 25-year-old has established himself as the Netherlands' keeper-batsman over the past three years and is set to take on South Africa in a three-match ODI series beginning at Centurion on Friday night Australian time.

It's the first time the Dutch will play South Africa in a bilateral series longer than a one-off match and the significance is not lost on the young Australian.

It's also the first of a number of major coups for an emerging Netherlands side that is scheduled to play series against England, West Indies, Pakistan and Zimbabwe over the next two years.

"It's pretty awesome, this is what as Associate cricketers you dream of," he told cricket.com.au from South Africa.

"Usually, you only get it once every few years maybe in a World Cup if you make it, but we've got six or seven series in the next two years, it's pretty exciting.

"When you play cricket, most guys want to play as high as they can so getting the opportunity to play at Centurion against one of the best teams in the world is pretty surreal."

Image Id: A69F33092CB9465A97F30C7236EA89DF Image Caption: Scott Edwards keeps for the Netherlands during a T20 World Cup match against Ireland in Abu Dhabi // Getty

The South Africa squad is missing the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, but still features hard-hitting batter David Miller, fast bowling allrounder Dwaine Pretorius and the world's second ranked T20I bowler Tabraiz Shamsi.

"It's always going to be a strong side … they're still extremely experienced and strong, we're well aware of what we're coming up against," Edwards said.

"We thrive on it, it's an awesome opportunity and that's what you want to do as semi or professional cricketers is play and impress on the big stage.

"The ODI Super League was a big thing for Associate cricket giving all the Associate nations a chance to play in this 13-team Super League, which has recently been announced that it's a one-time thing.

"It's a little bit disappointing that it won't be going ahead again but all we can do is keep trying to perform on the world stage when you can and hopefully from that gain some respect, win some games against big teams and cricket gets more diverse around the world."

Edwards is coming off a stellar Australian summer last season where he claimed the Jack Ryder Medal as the best and fairest player in Victorian Premier Cricket.

He struck 637 runs at 45.5 with two centuries, while also claiming 22 dismissals (20 catches and two stumpings) in a season that firmly put him on the radar of state selectors.

Edwards was included in Victoria's winter academy program but was away with international commitments ahead of the Netherlands recent T20 World Cup campaign, a tournament won by Australia.

It was a tough tournament for the Dutch that resulted in them being bundled out in first group stage without winning a game, but that's made the right-hander even more determined to make his mark in next year's event hosted by Australia.

The Dutch have to qualify for the initial group stage first with qualification to take place in Oman in February and Zimbabwe in June and July, but presuming they do, games are slated for Melbourne and Geelong in Edwards' home state of Victoria.

"That'd be the dream, playing in front of a lot of family and friends," he said.

"I've got a year and a half of good cricket with the Netherlands (Edwards is a contracted player with the Netherlands) so that's my main focus and then whatever happens around that is great.

"It's still a bit of a pinch yourself moment travelling the world playing cricket."

Tongan-born Edwards qualifies to play for Holland through his grandma who was born there and first made his way into their national team in 2017 after playing a season over there during the Australian winter.

After the three-match ODI series wraps up next Wednesday, Edwards will return to Melbourne to play for club side Richmond before his next international commitments in February.