South Australia will be out to make life difficult for England on its Ashes tour when it hosts the tourists in a three-day cricket match at the Adelaide Oval.

The match is a vital one for 12 players in particular.

While all 11 England players need a good hit-out before their Ashes defence begins, Redbacks speedster Shaun Tait will be out to convince Australian selectors he should play in Brisbane.

The first Test starts at the Gabba on Thursday.

Tait has been named in Australia's 13-man squad for the series opener and is vying with Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson to take the last fast bowler's spot.

Another crack at England, after he took 3-21 in the tour opener last week, gives Tait a great chance of playing his first Test on home soil.

England also needs a good hit-out, and will look for new opener Alastair Cook to impress, as he is set to bat at the top of the order following Marcus Trescothick's return home.

SA captain Darren Lehmann said the match was a great chance for the young Redbacks players to do well against an international side and keep England under pressure entering the Ashes.

"We have an obligation to Australia to play very well in this three day game, it's a great chance for our guys to shine with runs and wickets against England getting ready to play the first Test," he said.

"We play the game positively all the time so we're looking for a result and as I'm sure - hopefully - England are, that's the way you play the game."

England batsman Paul Collingwood said it was important the tourists performed well against Tait, as they had done against Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath in the drawn tour match against NSW earlier this week.

"It's the same as the NSW game with Lee and McGrath, when you come up against these guys who are going to be playing in the Test match you want to do well against them and have a good look at them," he said.

The match starts at 10.30am (CST).

Teams

South Australia: Darren Lehmann (capt), Matthew Elliott, Daniel Harris, Cameron Borgas, Callum Ferguson, Shane Deitz, Cullen Bailey, Jason Gillespie, Daniel Cullen, Shaun Tait, Paul Rofe (likely 12th man).

England (from): Andrew Flintoff (capt), Andrew Strauss, Alistair Cook, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Geraint Jones, Ashley Giles, Matthew Hoggard, Jimmy Anderson, Steve Harmison, Monty Panesar.

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