Australian paceman Brad Williams will dedicate his Test debut to his late father when the second and final cricket Test against Zimbabwe gets underway at the SCG on Friday.

Williams, 28, will become Australia's 386th Test cricketer and finally gets his chance after six times waiting on standby in case a teammate was injured.

Australia's current injuries to bowlers Glenn McGrath (ankle), Jason Gillespie (side) and Stuart MacGill (calf) helped him earn his place.

But Williams also took a more mature approach to his cricket after the death of his father Clive, from a heart attack five years ago.

"He supported me as a youngster, took me everywhere he could to improve my game and he was just my No.1 fan, so I'll be thinking of him ... that's for sure," Williams said.

The match is also a big one for left-handed pair Brad Hogg and Simon Katich, who will play their first Test on home soil.

Hogg played one in India in the mid-1990s and two in the West Indies in April, while Katich - in for Darren Lehmann (Achilles) - played his sole Test against England on the 2001 Ashes tour.

Zimbabwe will finalise its team before the match so it can give fast bowler Doug Hondo every chance to fully overcome a quad strain.

AUSTRALIA: Steve Waugh (capt), Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Simon Katich, Adam Gilchrist, Andy Bichel, Brett Lee, Brad Hogg, Brad Williams, Nathan Bracken (12th man).

ZIMBABWE (likely): Heath Streak (capt), Tatenda Taibu, Dion Ebrahim, Trevor Gripper, Mark Vermeulen, Stuart Carlisle, Craig Wishart, Craig Evans, Sean Ervine, Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Doug Hondo (12th man to be named).

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