Bogdanovic and Mackin thrown into Davis Cup cauldron

British pair with no previous experience and joint world ranking of 788 are ordered into battle against Hewitt's awesome Australia

Before yesterday, the highlight of Alan Mackin's career was reaching the quarter-finals of an obscure Dutch tournament. Alex Bogdanovic's most memorable moment was winning last year's National Championships. This weekend the British pair will face Australia's Lleyton Hewitt, the world no 1, and Mark Philippoussis, a former top 10 player, in a first-round World Group Davis Cup tie.

To say that the two young men looked terrified after being called up for singles duty in the three-day tie, which begins at the International Tennis Centre here tomorrow, would be putting it mildly.

Bogdanovic, 18, will play Hewitt on the opening day, while Mackin, a 21-year-old from Paisley, will meet Philippoussis. Neither Briton has played a Davis Cup match before. Their combined world ranking is 788. As Roger Taylor, the British captain, put it: "They have not even been on Centre Court at Wimbledon. They are very, very inexperienced at this international level, and it's going to be very difficult for them."

If the players appeared overwhelmed at being thrust into the limelight, Taylor looked as if he had swallowed an ashtray. A desperate situation has forced him to take desperate measures. With Britain's two world-class players, Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski, out of action because of injury, Taylor has been left with a quartet of nonentities.

The sensitivities surrounding the tie were reinforced by the farcical manner in which the team was announced last night. A press conference was postponed for two hours at the last minute. When it eventually went ahead, officials from the Lawn Tennis Association declared that Taylor would not be naming the team and tried to halt questioning after 10 minutes.

The players looked ill at ease as they answered theoretical questions about their participation, their facial expressions making plain that they already knew who had been picked.

An hour later, Taylor reappeared, minus his team uniform and finally prepared to divulge the news that everyone had guessed days ago: Bogdanovic and Mackin were to be Britain's answer to Hewitt and to Philippoussis, who clinched Australia's victory in the Davis Cup final against France in 1999.

Then came the final salvo from the LTA: Taylor's decision, which was certain to have Hewitt and the rest of John Fitzgerald's team quaking in their boots, was embargoed for another eight hours – to prevent Australian newspapers from reporting it today.

Bogdanovic looked pleased as well as nervous. "It feels unbelievable to be here in such a big arena and to be around great players like Lleyton," he said. "I'm just going to go out there and try to learn from the experience."

The Belgrade-born left-hander has been itching to prove his mettle on the senior circuit; he could never have anticipated that his big opportunity would entail playing the world No 1 in his own country.

Bogdanovic, who lives in London, beat Jamie Delgado in the National Championships final last year. A wild-card entrant at Wimbledon, he took a set off Nicolas Escudé in the first round. He said yesterday: "We're playing against very good opponents and the pressure is on them, not us. We've got nothing to lose."

Mackin's favourite surface is clay, which was chosen by the Australians for this weekend's encounter. The softly-spoken Scot was a hitting partner in Britain's Davis Cup tie against the Czech Republic in Ostrava in 2000. He, too, was a wild card last year at Wimbledon, where he lost in the first round to Jarkko Nieminen of Finland.

Mackin said: "This is as big as it gets. It has to be something to look forward to, if you're going to reach the pinnacle of the game. It can only be beneficial in the long-term for my career."

Asked about Hewitt, who is the same age, he said: "He's always been a baseline player, someone with a good attitude and a fighter. But I'm feeling positive. You have to approach the match believing you have a chance to win."

The selection was a blow for Arvind Parmar, who at No 164 is the highest ranked player in the team. Presumably Taylor felt unwilling to risk a repetition of events at the tie against Ecuador at Wimbledon in 2000, when Parmar lost the deciding rubber after being two sets up. The 24-year-old from Hitchin said: "I would have loved to play but, if Roger thinks one of the other guys deserves it more than me, then that's his call."

Miles Maclagan was disappointed, too. The 28-year-old retired two years ago, but has made a low-key return to the game, mainly playing doubles. Rumour has it he had a row with Jeremy Bates, the British team coach, during practice this week.

Taylor acknowledged that he was fielding two untried players. "Everyone dreams of playing Davis Cup, but it has perhaps come a little bit early for them," he said. "They've not asked to be in this position, they've been chosen to represent Great Britain and they're keen to take on that responsibility."

SYDNEY TIMETABLE (All starting times 23.00 GMT; Aus names first)

THURSDAY (order of play tbc)
L Hewitt v A Bogdanovic
M Philippoussis v A Mackin

TV: BBC2 23.20-05.00

FRIDAY
T Woodbridge and W Arthurs v A Parmar and M Maclagan

TV: BBC2 23.35-02.00

SATURDAY (order of play tbc)
Hewitt v Mackin
Philippoussis v Bogdanovic

TV: BBC2 23.30-05.00