Hussey returns to lead Victoria

	Victoria will regain David Hussey for this week's game in Perth © Getty Images Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Jon Holland | David Hussey | Bryce McGain Series/Tournaments: Sheffield Shield | Australian Domestic Season Teams: Australia | Victoria

David Hussey will return to captain Victoria for their Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia in Perth this week as they aim to move a step closer to securing a home final. The Bushrangers are all but guaranteed a place in the decider - they lost one point for a slow over-rate in their previous match and technically can miss out - but the all-important hosting rights could yet go to Queensland.

They will be without the spinner Jon Holland, who hurt his shoulder playing club cricket on the weekend and was set to see a specialist on Monday. The injury was not expected to be a season-ending problem but it has opened the door for the veteran Bryce McGain to return to the four-day line-up having been kept out by Holland since Christmas.

The batsman Lloyd Mash has been axed after a disappointing string of matches in which he failed to cement the spot made vacant by the retirement of Brad Hodge. Rob Quiney is in the 12-man group and Victoria hope he will be fit by the morning of the match, having been sidelined recently by a groin complaint.

Hussey has flown home from New Zealand following Australia's two Twenty20 games and will take back the reins from Andrew McDonald, who led Victoria to defeat in the FR Cup final on Sunday. The Bushrangers will need to regroup quickly after the disappointment of losing their fourth straight one-day decider.

"It's a big game. It's a matter of shoring up that home final, which is what you want in the Shield, it's been important over the years," McDonald said after the one-day loss to Tasmania. "We've had a pretty hectic schedule since we boarded a plane for India [for the Champions League Twenty20 in October].

"We've been jam-packed and we've been able to switch our focus pretty quickly from each format to the next format. I think that won't be a problem, it's just a matter of the bodies, how the boys got through tonight's game."

Victoria squad Nick Jewell, Chris Rogers, David Hussey (capt), Aaron Finch, Rob Quiney, Andrew McDonald, Michael Hill, Matthew Wade (wk), John Hastings, Damien Wright, Darren Pattinson, Bryce McGain.