Kasprowicz, MacGill to play in Cup semifinal

Newly-recalled Australian Test player Michael Kasprowicz is keen to celebrate his selection for the New Zealand tour next month with another match-winning performance for the XXXX Queensland Bulls in Sunday's Mercantile Mutual Cup semi-final.

Kasprowicz and Bulls opener Matthew Hayden, currently in NZ with the Australian One Day team, have earned their national team selections after being at the forefront of the Bulls' exceptional season so far, but will miss the rest of Queensland's campaign due to their international duties.

Kasprowicz, who played his last Test against India in Adelaide in December, is the leading wicket-taker in Australian first class cricket this season with 49 wickets, as well as heading the first class averages with 14.41.

He also needs another four wickets to reach 50 domestic one day wickets for Queensland and is looking forward to bowling on a green-tinged Allan Border Field wicket against arch-rivals NSW at Allan Border Field on Sunday.

"I'm very pleased to be back in the Australian team because things have worked out for me very well since I came back to the Bulls after playing in the Tests earlier in the season,'' he said.

"I'm happy with how I've been bowling, especially the way things went in Adelaide with the four day and one day game. We're in a semi-final now in the Merc and going along on top in the Pura Milk Cup so obviously I'd like to see how far we can go, even if Haydos and I aren't going to be there,'' he said.

Kasprowicz will miss the remaining two Pura Milk Cup games for the Bulls, while he and Hayden would also be unavailable for Queensland in the event of the team hosting the Final, with the Test players to link with the rest of the Australian squad in New Zealand on March 2. The First Test between Australia and New Zealand starts on March 11 in Auckland.

Left-arm spinner Jamie Stewart is the only change to the Blues team that lost recently to the Western Warriors. He makes way for leg-spinner Stuart MacGill.

XXXX Queensland Bulls: Stuart Law (c), Jimmy Maher, Martin Love, Lee Carseldine, Clinton Perren, Geoff Foley, Scott Prestwidge, Wade Seccombe, Andy Bichel, Dale Turner, Michael Kasprowicz, Adam Dale.

NSW Blues: Shawn Bradstreet (c), Michael Slater, Brad Haddin, Corey Richards, Matthew Phelps, Graeme Rummans, Mark Higgs, Brad McNamara, Scott Thompson, Gavin Robertson, Stuart MacGill, Don Nash.