It’s time national selectors got deadly serious about death bowler Ben Laughlin, the Hobart Hurricanes say.

Laughlin sits atop the Big Bash League’s wicket-takers list alongside Sri Lankan whirlwind Lasith Malinga with 13 scalps.

The 30-year-old Victoria-born paceman’s economy rate of 6.73 may compare unfavourably with Malinga’s 4.95 but his strike rate of 10.6 is better.

Hurricanes and Australia Twenty20 captain George Bailey is yet to discuss the candidates for Australia’s outings against the Lankans and West Indies this summer, but Laughlin’s name looks likely to be mentioned.

“Certainly at the moment I think Benny should still be looking to play one-day cricket for Australia and, absolutely, T20 cricket for Australia,” Bailey told reporters at Bellerive ahead of Saturday’s BBL clash with the Adelaide Strikers.

“The form he’s been in, in both formats … warrants him being in the frame for that.”

Laughlin has played five ODIs for a total of just five wickets at 54.75, and a solitary T20 international.

Bailey said his accuracy and pace change-ups set him apart in the shortest form of the game.

“What Benny has is a really specific skill set that not many people in the world can do, let alone in Australia,” Bailey said.

“He really has led from the front with us and I certainly think he’d be making a lot of people sit up and take notice within Australia and within some of the world Twenty20 competitions as well.”

Hurricanes coach Tim Coyle said Laughlin offered something different.

“Malinga’s obviously a special talent and he’s in tremendous form at the moment but, gee, I reckon Ben Laughlin’s in similar form,” Coyle said.

“You can’t ignore those numbers, can you?”

The Hurricanes welcome back Kiwi allrounder Scott Styris after his stint in the New Zealand competition as they search for their fourth straight win against a Strikers outfit desperate to stay in the hunt for the finals.

The Strikers have made just one change to their 13-man squad, with all-rounder Matt Johnston returning to face his old team in place of left-arm paceman Gary Putland (abdominal strain).

Hurricanes: (from) George Bailey (capt), Tim Paine, Aiden Blizzard, Doug Bollinger, Travis Birt, Xavier Doherty, Evan Gulbis, Jason Krejza, Ben Laughlin, Ricky Ponting, Scott Styris, Owais Shah, Jon Wells.

Strikers: (from) Johan Botha (capt), Cameron Boyce, Theo Doropoulos, Callum Ferguson, Matt Johnston, Michael Klinger, Tim Ludeman, Michael Neser, Kieron Pollard, Nathan Reardon, Kane Richardson, Shaun Tait, Brad Young.