Clark back for New South Wales after thigh injury

Stuart Clark will make his return for New South Wales on Wednesday after completing a quicker-than-expected recovery from a thigh injury. Clark, who will be fighting for a spot in Australia's fast-bowling lineup for the Ashes, was chosen in the squads to play Queensland in Wednesday's Ford Ranger Cup match and the Pura Cup game starting on Friday.

Clark tore his left quadriceps playing club cricket in Sydney three weeks ago but returned to his grade side Sydney University at the weekend, taking 4 for 26. Although he was pleased with his fast recovery, which the Australian team's medical staff expected to take four to six weeks, he said he was frustrated that he was missing the Champions Trophy while bowlers such as Mitchell Johnson pressed their Ashes claims. "I'm pleased for Mitchell, he's obviously playing good cricket and is in contention," Clark told the Sydney Morning Herald. "I haven't got a bad thing to say about him. But obviously you like to be out there."

Another New South Wales player who will be pushing for an Ashes berth, the legspinner Stuart MacGill, will miss both of this week's state games after losing an appeal against his two-match suspension for disorderly and improper conduct in a Sydney club match. MacGill and the uncapped right-arm fast-medium bowler Scott Coyte have been omitted from the Pura Cup squad that drew their opening game of the season against South Australia. Coyte and the fast bowler Matthew Nicholson have been left out of the FR Cup squad.

The right-arm fast bowler Aaron Bird has also been included in both squads. Bird, 23, played four first-class games and eight one-dayers in his debut season for New South Wales in 2005-06.

Pura Cup squad Phil Jaques, Greg Mail, Ed Cowan, Dominic Thornely, Aaron O'Brien, Brad Haddin (capt, wk), Moises Henriques, Beau Casson, Matthew Nicholson, Stuart Clark, Aaron Bird, Doug Bollinger.

FR Cup squad Phil Jaques, Craig Simmons, Daniel Christian, Brad Haddin (capt, wk), Dominic Thornely, Ed Cowan, Aaron O'Brien, Moises Henriques, Stuart Clark, Aaron Bird, Nathan Hauritz, Doug Bollinger.