Australian-born Williams is yet to make his first-team debut at The Riverside - but he has impressed hugely for Brian Flynn's Under-21 side.

Now manager John Toshack has added Williams to his senior set-up for the first time, whilst also recalling Nottingham Forest's Robert Earnshaw.

Earnshaw was left out of the original squad, but doubts over Freddy Eastwood and Craig Bellamy means the Forest man is back in contention.

Wales begin their bid for a place at the 2010 finals in South Africa with a fixture against Azerbaijan in Cardiff on Sept 6 before visiting Russia four days later.

Toshack's squad includes eight players who have also been named in the Under-21 party for a Sept 9 qualifier against Romania, some of whom may leave the senior group after the game

against Azerbaijan.

Squad in full: Wayne Hennessey (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Boaz Myhill (Hull City), Lewis Price (Derby County), Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur), James Collins (West Ham United), Steve Evans (Wrexham), Chris Gunter (Tottenham Hotspur), Craig Morgan (Peterborough United), Sam Ricketts (Hull City), Ashley Williams (Swansea City), Rhys Williams (Middlesbrough), Andrew Crofts (Gillingham), Simon Davies (Fulham), David Edwards (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Carl Fletcher (Crystal Palace), Owain Tudur Jones (Swansea City), Jason Koumas (Wigan Athletic), Joe Ledley (Cardiff City), Paul Parry (Cardiff City), Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal), Carl Robinson (Toronto FC), Brian

Stock (Doncaster Rovers), Craig Bellamy (West Ham United), David Cotterill (Sheffield United), Robert Earnshaw (Nottingham Forest), Freddy Eastwood (Coventry City), Ched Evans (Manchester City), Sam Vokes (Wolverhampton Wanderers)