Meanwhile, Matt Short is unavailable for Victoria’s clash against Queensland at the MCG due to a family wedding, but Jake Fraser-McGurk is in line for a recall to South Australia’s Shield side after being named in the XII to face Tasmania in Hobart, having not been selected this season despite being available for three of the previous five games. But Spencer Johnson has been ruled out of playing back-to-back Shield games after suffering toe soreness having bowled 45 overs in the day-night game against WA last week, the most he has ever bowled in his professional career.
Maddinson, Zampa and Sean Abbott, who is with Australia’s Test squad, will all miss the Blues’ final Shield game before the BBL break with Blake Nikitaras, Tanveer Sangha and Lachlan Shaw all named in the 12 that will be captained by Jack Edwards as Moises Henriques continues to rest before the BBL.
Maddinson underwent surgery on Thursday and New South Wales released a statement saying his “return to play timeline will be assessed in due course”. He had signed with Sydney Thunder in the off-season but looks in doubt to play much of a part in the upcoming BBL which starts on December 15.
Zampa was not named following the controversy surrounding his selection for the Blues’ previous Shield match against Tasmania. It is understood Zampa was only ever set to play one red-ball game before the BBL in a bid to build his case for the Sri Lanka Test tour.
Western Australia welcome back skipper Sam Whiteman from a side strain that has kept him out of the last three Shield matches. Stand-in skipper Ashton Turner has been ruled out with a side strain of his own which could affect his start to the BBL season as Perth Scorchers captain. Aaron Hardie remains unavailable due to a quad issue that he has carried since Australia’s limited overs UK tour in September and is also pushing to be fit for the start of the BBL. Those two concerns for Perth Scorchers come on top of the injuries to Ashton Agar (shoulder) and Cooper Connolly (finger) who are also fighting to be fit for the start of the BBL.
Lance Morris has been named for his second straight Shield game but Jhye Richardson has been rested after playing WA’s last match in Adelaide. Brody Couch returns after missing the game against South Australia having taken 13 wickets at 29 in the first four matches of the season, including a hat-trick.
Left-arm wristspinner Hamish McKenzie has been added to WA’s 13-man squad and could play alongside Corey Rocchiccioli if WA opt for two spinners at the SCG.
Short’s absence is a curious one as professional cricketers rarely miss games to attend a wedding. It is a blow for Victoria after he made half-centuries in both innings of their win at the Gabba last week. With Peter Siddle is also unavailable, Victoria recalled Jono Merlo and Mitch Perry in their place. Skipper Will Sutherland remains unavailable as he continues to recover from a significant side strain.
Queensland have included Gurinder Sandhu and Tom Straker in their 12-man squad. Sandhu is returning from a calf injury having not played at all this season until Wednesday’s One-Day Cup win over Tasmania in Hobart. Straker had been rested from last week’s loss to Victoria while Michael Neser remains on the sidelines due to his hamstring injury.
Elsewhere, South Australia are poised to bring in Fraser-McGurk for his first Shield game of the summer against Tasmania in Hobart. Fraser-McGurk was not selected previously despite being available and instead played second-XI cricket for South Australia before his limited-overs duty with Australia. Jason Sangha is also in the mix to play his first Shield game for his new state since moving from NSW. Nathan McAndrew has also been named after missing the last clash with WA through injury and will replace Johnson. SA are currently investigating the extent of the issue with his toe.
New South Wales squad: Jackson Bird, Ollie Davies, Jack Edwards (capt), Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hadley, Sam Konstas, Blake Nikitaras, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Tanveer Sangha, Lachlan Shaw
Western Australia squad: Sam Whiteman (capt), Cameron Bancroft, Hilton Cartwright, Brody Couch, Keaton Critchell, Joel Curtis, Sam Fanning, Cameron Gannon, Jayden Goodwin, Hamish McKenzie, Lance Morris, Joel Paris, Corey Rocchiccioli
Victoria squad: Peter Handscomb (capt), Ash Chandrasinghe, Xavier Crone, Sam Elliott, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Jon Merlo, Cam McClure, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Mitch Perry, Tom Rogers
Queensland squad: Mitchell Swepson (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Jack Clayton, Lachlan Hearne, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Gurinder Sandhu, Mark Steketee, Tom Straker, Bryce Street, Jack Wildermuth
Tasmania squad: Gabe Bell, Jake Doran, Kieran Elliott, Brad Hope, Matt Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Lawrence Neil-Smith, Mitch Owen, Nivethan Radhakrishnan, Jordan Silk (capt), Tim Ward, Jake Weatherald
South Australia squad: Ben Manenti (capt), Wes Agar, Harry Conway, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Henry Hunt, Jake Lehmann, Nathan McAndrew, Conor McInerney, Harry Nielsen, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Henry Thornton
Alex Malcolm is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo
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