Dropped Hayden asks to play for Queensland

Matthew Hayden will play his first game for Queensland in more than a year when he returns with Michael Kasprowicz for the ING Cup match against South Australia at the Gabba on Friday. After being replaced by Michael Clarke and Brett Lee for the VB Series finals, the pair asked Cricket Australia for permission to play in the lead-up to Australia's tour of New Zealand.

Hayden was dropped as Australia's one-day opener after managing 42 runs in four VB Series innings and vowed to return to the side with a "platter" of domestic runs if required. Graham Dixon, the Queensland Cricket chief executive, said Hayden and Kasprowicz were due to be rested under Cricket Australia's player management plan. "Players who are involved in both forms of the game had been penciled in to have a break this week ahead of the New Zealand tour," he said. "It will be great to welcome them back."

However, Hayden and Kasprowicz were expected at the Gabba on Friday as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations of the state's first Sheffield Shield winning team in 1994-95. The Bulls have already booked their place in the ING Cup final and will play either Victoria or Tasmania on February 20.

Queensland will finalise their squad after Australia's touring party is announced on Wednesday, but expect to miss the injured trio of Andrew Symonds (Achilles tendon), Shane Watson (side strain) and Martin Love (hand). Symonds was hurt while making 91 in the first final against Pakistan, Watson left the field after bowling 3.5 overs in the second match last night and Love split the webbing between his left index finger and thumb while fielding during yesterday's 138-run loss to Victoria.