Fit Marsh ready to take Tasmania's lead

Dan Marsh was a regular for the Tigers before his shoulder problem © Getty Images Enlarge

Dan Marsh, the Tasmania captain who led them to last summer's ING Cup, will play his first game of the season after recovering from a shoulder injury to face Western Australia in the Pura Cup match at Bellerive Oval on Wednesday. Marsh will take over the leadership from Michael Di Ventuo, who scored 105 in the 13-run loss to the Warriors on Sunday, and the Tigers have also been helped by the return of the fast bowler Brett Geeves.

Geeves came back from an ankle problem in the limited-overs match at Devonport, taking an expensive 1 for 57 in 6.2 overs, and he has been included in the squad instead of Darren McNees. The spinner Shannon Tubb has been dropped to accommodate Marsh.

South Australia have been boosted by the recoveries of Paul Rofe and Greg Blewett from fitness problems for the game against Victoria at Adelaide Oval starting on Thursday. Rofe will face a fitness test on his knee, which was operated on earlier this month to repair cartilage, but Blewett has been cleared after straining his thigh two weeks ago. Ben Cameron missed out on a place in the squad while Matthew Elliott, who hurt his knee last week, was not considered.

Tasmania squad David Dawson, Travis Birt, Michael Bevan, Michael Di Venuto, George Bailey, Dan Marsh (capt), Adam Griffith, Sean Clingeleffer (wk), Xavier Doherty, Brett Geeves, Brendan Drew, Ben Hilfenhaus.

South Australia squad Shane Deitz, Greg Blewett, Mark Cosgrove, Cameron Borgas, Darren Lehmann (capt), Callum Ferguson, Graham Manou (wk), Mark Cleary, Jason Gillespie, Paul Rofe, Cullen Bailey, Shaun Tait.