Melbourne, Nov. 10 : New South Wales Blues have called up a teenager from the bush for their match against New Zealand this week.

Dubbed the "new Glenn McGrath" Josh Hazlewood will be given the job of embarrassing the tourists at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the absence of lethal quicks Nathan Bracken and Doug Bollinger.

The 17-year-old Hazlewood had just completed his final HSC exam in geography when told he would be lining up against the cross-Tasman rivals.

"I was surprised and didn''t even know NSW were playing New Zealand. I thought they were tied up with the domestic scene," said the 200cm-tall quick. "I think it will be a good game to get started in. There won''t be as much pressure given it''s a tour game," the Daily Telegraph quoted Hazlewood, as saying.

Hazlewood has featured in several games already for the NSW second XI and representative country outfits.

Like his idol McGrath, Hazlewood has been raised in the bush - he hails from the town of Bendemeer, 40 minutes north-east of Tamworth.

Hazlewood''s parents, Trevor and Anne, are expected to make the trek to Sydney to watch their son in action.

New Zealand touch down in Sydney this afternoon before confronting the Blues on Thursday ahead of their two-Test series against Australia later this month. (ANI)