Bichel, Brant back for Bulls

An injury to pace bowler Damien MacKenzie has given left-arm swing bowler Scott Brant his first start for the XXXX Queensland Bulls this season.

Brant was one of two changes in the Bulls team to take on the top-placed Warriors outfit in Friday's crucial ING Cup match at the Gabba, with MacKenzie ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Dumped Australian fast bowler Andy Bichel will also play his first ING Cup match for the Bulls in nearly two seasons following his omission from the Australian one-day team to tour Sri Lanka.

Queensland have won three of their past four matches in the one-day arena and are one point behind second-placed Victoria.

The Bulls last won a limited overs title in 1997-98 and have twice been beaten Finalists in the past five years, losing in 1999-2000 to WA and 2001-02 to NSW.

Brant missed the start of the season after sustaining a knee injury playing for Essex in the English county championships and has been restricted to playing club and 2nd XI cricket for the Queensland Academy of Sport since is return.

He played nine ING Cup matches last season for the Bulls, taking 12 wickets at 25.08.

Friday's match will also be Stuart Law's last one-dayer at the Gabba, with the former Bulls captain formally announcing last week that he would retire from Australian cricket at the end of the season.

Law's last game at the Gabba, barring any Finals appearances, will be the Pura Cup match against the Warriors starting on Sunday.

The Queensland selectors have also finalised the Pura Cup team, with Bichel taking over from Sri Lankan tour selection Michael Kasprowicz.

The Bulls will train tomorrow and Thursday from 9am at the Gabba. The Warriors arrival and training times will be advised as soon as they are available.

WA have named a squad of 13 for the ING Cup match including former Queensland pace bowler Ben Edmondson, who moved to Perth before Christmas in an attempt to break into first class cricket.

ING CUP
XXXXX Queensland Bulls v RetraVision Warriors, Friday, the Gabba, 2.30pm start: Jimmy Maher (c), Stuart Law, Martin Love, Clinton Perren, Craig Philipson, James Hopes, Wade Seccombe, Andy Bichel, Ashley Noffke, Nathan Hauritz, Scott Brant, Chris Simpson. (12th man to be named).

Warriors: Justin Langer (c), Ryan Campbell, Ben Edmondson, Murray Goodwin, Kade Harvey, Aaron Heal, Michael Hussey, Scott Meuleman, Marcus North, Chris Rogers, John Taylor, Darren Wates, Paul Wilson.

PURA CUP
XXXXX Queensland Bulls v RetraVision Warriors, the Gabba, Sun-Wed: Jimmy Maher (c), Clinton Perren, Martin Love, Stuart Law, Craig Philipson, James Hopes, Wade Seccombe, Andy Bichel, Ashley Noffke, Nathan Hauritz, Joe Dawes, Chris Simpson. (12th man to be named).