Brendon Julian backs Jason Behrendorff for Australia's World Cup and Ashes bids

So says Fox Cricket commentator and former international fast bowler Brendon Julian, who has backed Behrendorff to be a mainstay in the Australian attack for their World Cup defence and upcoming Ashes campaign.

A last-start five-wicket haul at cricket's heartbeat has Behrendorff primed to play a key role in Australia's group stage clash against New Zealand in a return to Lord's on Saturday night (AEST).

Behrendorff is jostling with Nathan Coulter-Nile for a spot in Australia's World Cup XI - and one wonders whether he would be on tour if not for injuries to Josh Hazlewood and Jhye Richardson.

But the Tuggeranong junior wiped out any doubt about his place with a superb showing to help Australia trump England in emphatic fashion at Lord's - the venue for next month's final.

"I always think Behrendorff has been pretty close anyway. In one-day cricket, it's always going to be a toss-up between Behrendorff, Coulter-Nile, Richardson or even Hazlewood," Julian said.

"I don't think he is too far off being in the top three or top four bowlers anyway. He is just really going to suit the conditions, if the pitch is really dry then it's not going to suit him.

"In England, he is an ideal type of guy that you can definitely have in the squad, and if conditions suit on the day, then you throw him the ball.

"You go into the final at Lord's, and the semi-final depending on where they have it, if there is a bit of rain around then I think they'll be confident of picking him as a wicket-taker.

"They're giving him the new ball, and sometimes with Behrendorff, you feel like you've got to give him the new ball.

"I often say you give it to your best two bowlers, being [Pat] Cummins and [Mitchell] Starc. That would be the only downside, that Pat Cummins doesn't get the ball.

"But if you're taking wickets, which is exactly what they want him to do, he's gone a step in the right direction.

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"What I loved about his bowling in particular was after the new ball. He bowled a six-over spell and he came back for his second spell and he got wickets. That's a real big tick."

If Behrendorff can continue to match those feats late in the innings, he will develop into a player Australian captain Aaron Finch can turn to late in any game.

If he can do that, his inclusion in Australia's quest for a sixth World Cup and looming defence of the urn may seem a masterstroke.

An Ashes call-up would be a huge vote of confidence from national selectors given the Western Australian quick shelved his red ball ambitions this past summer in a bid to find some longevity.

"You know what you're going to get from Jason Behrendorff, he's not going to be the quickest out of all the quicks. I think he is a conditions bowler," Julian said.

"I think this will give him an option definitely in the Ashes series. I think he will be in the squad and he will be the third seamer, that's between him and Hazlewood.

"Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood or maybe Behrendorff, if they feel like they want to go down that track. I'd definitely be putting him in the squad, because I think those conditions suit him."