Alister McDermott, an Ashes prospect for 2013, had plenty of bowling heroes as a kid.

His famous father Craig, Australia’s former pace spearhead who claimed 291 Test wickets, wasn’t one of them.

But that’s only because Alister, now 21, was so young when dad was off the long run.

The fresh-faced redhead finds himself touring with skipper Michael Clarke’s 15-man squad for three one-day internationals against Pakistan starting on Tuesday in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

“It was pretty unfortunate for Clint McKay to get injured because it’s so close to the Twenty20 World Cup,” McDermott said this week.

“Previously, I’ve just been sitting at home watching all these guys on the TV and admiring them. It can happen pretty quickly that I’m here.

“At the start of last season, I wasn’t picked for any Shield or one-day cricket.

“So I have no complaints about how the last year or so has gone. It’s been amazing.”

McDermott says his childhood heroes were Australian Test pacemen Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Andy Bichel.

Lee because he steamed in and bowled fast, Bichel for his total commitment to the cause and McGrath because he just kept getting wickets.

“Andy Bichel, he had that attitude that he’d never give up,” McDermott says.

“I’d like to say my dad but I was about five when he retired.

“You see the odd match on TV on the World Series Cricket classics.”

Australia’s Test series against Pakistan in Sharjah in 2002 is remembered for the super-fit Bichel, now a national selector, being put on a drip for heat exhaustion.

“I’ve heard that after two or three overs, he was hallucinating,” McDermott said.

“That’s why we’re playing these games until two o’clock in the morning.”

Alister doesn’t have his father on hand for guidance after Craig stepped down as national bowling coach in May for family reasons.

“I would have loved to be spending time over here on my first Aussie tour with my dad,” he said.

“It’s disappointing, maybe. It’s, um, I’ve had him as a coach my whole life.

“I’m just lucky, I guess.”

McDermott claimed 4-38 and 2-38 for Australia A in a game against Durham earlier this month.

The youngster showed his big-game credentials with a haul of 6-54 for Queensland in last summer’s Sheffield Shield final win over Tasmania.

“There’s not the pace and bounce in England that there is at the Gabba,” he says.

“Some of the wickets were quite tough. If you gave any width to the batter, it was pretty easy to score so it was definitely a big learning curve.

“My dad has always taught me, try to pitch the ball up and swing it.

“But never forget the bumper.”