North returns from knee injury

Marcus North will finally get a chance to lead Western Australia in a permanent capacity as he prepares to make his comeback from a knee injury. North filled in as leader at times last year and was named as the Warriors' new captain at the start of this summer but a degenerative knee condition has stopped him from playing any matches.

He finally came back through the Western Australia Second XI this week, scoring 61 and 82 not out against the Tasmania Second XI in Hobart, and he has been deemed fit enough to guide the Warriors in their FR Cup match against New South Wales at the SCG next Wednesday. Ben Edmondson also returns to the 12-man squad after missing Western Australia's most recent one-day game.

Danny McLauchlan has been left out of the side and Darren Wates will also miss out. North's return means the end of the leadership duties for the vice-captain Adam Voges, who was unexpectedly thrust into the top job from the start of the season.

Western Australia squad Justin Langer, Luke Ronchi (wk), Shaun Marsh, Marcus North (capt), Adam Voges, Luke Pomersbach, Sean Ervine, Theo Doropoulos, Aaron Heal, Brett Dorey, Steve Magoffin, Ben Edmondson.