Wright surprise in young Australia World Cup squad

SYDNEY: Tim Cahill and Mile Jedinak will lead an inexperienced Australia in their tough World Cup campaign in Brazil after a provisional 30-man squad was announced on Wednesday.

Coach Ange Postecoglou named Preston North End´s Bailey Wright as a surprise selection with Cahill preparing for his third World Cup and Jedinak coming off an excellent English Premier League season with Crystal Palace.

Wright, the 21-year-old English-based central defender, who has yet to play for his country, was one of two unexpected picks, along with Fortuna Dusseldorf forward Ben Halloran.

Only eight players -- Cahill, Josh Kennedy, Mark Milligan, Jedinak, Mark Bresciano, Luke Wilkshire, Eugene Galekovic and Dario Vidosic -- remain from the squad that went to South Africa in 2010.

The squad will play a friendly against South Africa on May 26, two days before heading to Brazil, where they will play their first game against Chile on June 13. The final 23-man squad will be named on June 2.

Provisional squad:
Goalkeepers: Mat Ryan (Club Brugge/BEL), Mitch Langerak (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Eugene Galekovic (Adelaide Utd/AUS), Mark Birighitti (Newcastle Jets/AUS)
Defenders: Ivan Franjic (Brisbane Roar/AUS), Matthew Spiranovic (Western Sydney/AUS), Curtis Good (Newcastle United/ENG), Bailey Wright (Preston North End/ENG), Jason Davidson (Heracles Almelo/NED), Luke Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow/RUS), Alex Wilkinson (Jeonbuk Motors/KOR), Ryan McGowan (Shandong Luneng/CHN)
Midfielders: Mile Jedinak (Crystal Palace/ENG), Mark Milligan (Melbourne Victory/AUS), James Holland (Austria Vienna/AUT), Massimo Luongo (Swindon Town/ENG), Adam Sarota (FC Utrecht/NED), Oliver Bozanic (Luzern/SUI), Matt McKay (Brisbane Roar/AUS), Mark Bresciano (Al-Gharafa/QAT), Josh Brilliante (Newcastle Jets/AUS)
Forwards: Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls/USA), Josh Kennedy (Nagoya Grampus/JPN), Tom Rogic (Melbourne Victory/AUS), Dario Vidosic (Sion/SUI), Tommy Oar (FC Utrecht/NED), James Troisi (Melbourne Victory/AUS), Ben Halloran (Fortuna Dusseldorf/GER), Adam Taggart (Newcastle Jets/AUS), Matthew Leckie (FSV Frankfurt/GER)
(AFP)