Blues set to lift under Waugh

SYDNEY, Nov 13 AAP - NSW paceman Brett Lee expects his side to lift under the captaincy of Steve Waugh against a severely understrength South Australia in the Pura Cup match starting tomorrow at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Already coming off a huge win over Tasmania last weekend, the Blues should be further boosted by the return of the Australian Test skipper, who is bound to be hungry for runs.

Lee said his team always lifted a notch in Waugh's presence.

"It's going to be great to have Steve Waugh back again," Lee said.

"The guys are always very pumped and very excited when he comes back so I'm sure it's going to be a big four days for us."

Despite losing batsman Michael Clarke, fast bowler Stuart Clark and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin to the Australia A team playing England, NSW will field a formidable line-up.

Lee will continue to press his case for a national re-call following a 10-wicket haul against the Tigers in response to his axing from the first Ashes Test in Brisbane.

But the 26-year-old remained level-headed about his bid to break back into the side that belted England by 384 runs.

"I feel like I can get back into the Australian side so it's a matter of going out there hopefully tomorrow and doing well," he said.

"Of course it's hard to change a winning side.

"I'll just be out there to try and do my best and make myself as available as possible and that's taking wickets and bowling fast.

"If I'm doing that, it's going to improve my chances."

Legspinner Stuart MacGill showed good form with seven wickets against Tasmania while another Test discard, Michael Bevan, racked up an unbeaten 201 in the Blues' victory by an innings and eight runs.

And then there's Waugh, who had been under scrutiny until scoring an unbeaten 103 in the third Test against Pakistan in Sharjah last month.

But he remains under a question mark after a double disappointment in the Brisbane Test with scores of seven and 12 and managing just 464 runs at 25.94 in 13 Tests over the past year with one hundred and two half centuries.

Don Nash and Corey Richards have been brought into the Blues' 12-man squad while Haddin's replacement behind the stumps, Nathan Pilon, has been in excellent touch with the bat for grade side St George.

The Redbacks will welcome the return of skipper Darren Lehmann from international duties but they will be missing Australia A vice-captain Greg Blewett and Test bowler Jason Gillespie, who is being rested.

In a further blow, swing bowler Damien Fleming was a late withdrawal with a shoulder strain suffered during the recent drawn match against Western Australia.

Batsman Chris Davies also pulled out today with a hamstring strain.

They are replaced by Mark Harrity and Nathan Adcock.

Lehmann said his team would not focus too heavily on individual names in the NSW side.

"They're going to be tough but it's just 11 players against 11 players," he said.

"Confidence is high from the game in Perth when we played very well. I'm confident we can play well."

Squads: NSW - Steve Waugh (capt), Matthew Phelps, Michael Slater, Michael Bevan, Simon Katich, Mark Waugh, Corey Richards, Nathan Pilon, Brett Lee, Don Nash, Stuart MacGill, Nathan Bracken.

SA - Darren Lehmann (capt), John Davison, Shane Deitz, David Fitzgerald, Ryan Harris, Ben Higgins, Mark Higgs, Ben Johnson, Michael Miller, Paul Rofe, Mark Harrity, Nathan Adcock (12th men to be named).