Hodge added to Victoria's injury list

Victoria's bowler shortage has eased with the return of Clint McKay and Andrew McDonald but the most important man in their line-up, Brad Hodge, will miss this week's Sheffield Shield clash through injury. Hodge, whose early-season form has been brilliant, felt tightness in his hamstring during Saturday's FR Cup game and the Victorians were unwilling to risk him over four days.

Peter Siddle will sit out of the match against Western Australia starting at the MCG on Tuesday as he continues to recover from a side problem that forced him home from the ODI series in India. However, Siddle has been bowling in the nets and is not expected to be in doubt for next week's first Test against West Indies, which will please the Australian selectors after the news that Brett Lee is all but out of contention.

The prognosis also looks good for the Test batsman Marcus North, who was named to captain Western Australia despite suffering a wrist injury during Saturday's match. He will form part of a strengthened Warriors middle order along with Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh, who have rejoined the side after playing in the ODI series in India.

McKay and McDonald are also returning from international duties but their colleague Jon Holland, who was in the ODI squad, will have a rapid adjustment to make after failing to make the Sheffield Shield squad. Holland will instead play for the state's second-string side in the Futures League game in Canberra, while Bryce McGain was preferred in the first-class squad.

Victoria's attack will also feature Darren Pattinson and John Hastings, while Dirk Nannes, Damien Wright, Steve Gilmour and Shane Harwood are all on the sidelines. Nannes and Wright are both nursing hamstring problems that should keep them out of action until December, Gilmour hurt his knee in Saturday's FR Cup game and Harwood's season is over due to a shoulder injury.

Victoria squad Nick Jewell, Chris Rogers, Lloyd Mash, David Hussey, Cameron White (capt), Andrew McDonald, Rob Quiney, Matthew Wade (wk), John Hastings, Clint McKay, Darren Pattinson, Bryce McGain.

Western Australia squad Wes Robinson, Luke Towers, Shaun Marsh, Marcus North (capt), Adam Voges, David Bandy, Luke Ronchi (wk), Ashley Noffke, Steve Magoffin, Brett Dorey, Michael Hogan, Josh Mangan.