At an age when some of Australia's finest cricketers are pulling up stumps, England wicket keeper Paul Nixon is poised to begin his international career.

Nixon, who is vying with Chris Read for the gloves in England's Twenty20 match against Australia on Tuesday and the following one-day tri-series, is 36, the same age as Australia's retiring Test stars Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer.

His only sniff of international cricket was six years ago when he was chosen for England's 2000-01 tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka where he was a permanent understudy to Alec Stewart.

A prominent member of the Leicestershire County team which has reached four straight Twenty20 finals in England, Nixon has also spent four summers playing in Western Australia.

"I had four winters in Perth and loved the system over there and enjoyed the lads and worked hard and enjoyed the pitches," Nixon said at the SCG.

"I'm sort of proof and testimony that if you keep doing the right things, eventually it comes."

A typically chirpy wicketkeeper, Nixon suggested he wouldn't be backward in coming forward if there was any sledging if he got the chance to play against Australia.

Nixon was familiar with the tactics of mental disintegration employed by the Australians after playing some county cricket with former Australian captain Steve Waugh at Kent.

"I've always given a bit and taken a bit and that's the game and I actually admire the Aussies for that, because generally they are the first guys to come and shake your hand and say `well played' at the end of the game," Nixon said.

Nixon said the players called up specifically to the one-day team carried no baggage from the Test whitewash and would look to lift the spirits of the group involved in that series.

"There's a lot of hurting players in there and we're desperate to get out there and see things right," Nixon said.

"The guys have had a bit of a chat and a blow out and they've put it to bed, they've learned a lot and they've done some soul searching.

"But what's done is done and now it's important that we lift the spirits.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP