Pitch to determine Qld team

SYDNEY, March 5 AAP - NSW cricket captain Steve Waugh reckons Queensland would be "silly" not to use its intended Pura Cup final team in the critical last round game against the Blues starting at the SCG tomorrow.

The Bulls are already assured of hosting next week's final and the other spot will be filled by either NSW or Victoria, which plays WA from tomorrow.

Queensland selectors dropped Australian representative seamer Adam Dale to accommodate young spinner Chris Simpson and could omit another of the formidable pace attack if they decide to play both Simpson and fellow slow bowler Matthew Anderson.

Waugh said he was sure Queensland wanted to field the same combination who will participate in the final, although he conceded they could play one or even both spinners on a turning SCG wicket.

"This year it (the SCG) has suited the quicks quite a bit, so I think they will pretty much play the team they are going to play in the final, they would be silly not to," Waugh said.

An inspection of the pitch prompted Queensland skipper Martin Love to suggest it would play more like an old-fashioned SCG turner.

"Earlier in the season I think it probably tended to favour the quicker bowlers rather than the spinners, but having a quick peek at this one, I don't think this one is going to," Love said.

"I think they wouldn't prepare a wicket with grass on it to play our attack on, so I think it is going to be pretty devoid of grass," said Love who emphasised Queensland had no intention of easing off after securing a home final.

Love said 21-year-old Simpson had every chance of making his first-class debut, depending on what the wicket looked like tomorrow morning.

While Love leads the Australian first-class aggregates with 1019 runs, NSW opening batsman Michael Slater believes the Bulls skipper has a weakness.

"I don't think he (Love) faces left arm bowlers that well, so I think you will find Doug Bollinger coming into the attack straight up and he (Love) has had a lot of problems against (Nathan) Bracken in the past," Slater said.

Bracken, who was 12th man for the Blues' win in Perth last week, could have an extra incentive to perform if the Australian selectors decide Jason Gillespie's Achilles injury forces his replacement in the World Cup squad.

"Basically I'm concentrating on the game we've got here tomorrow, it's a big game for NSW and anything else that comes from that, I've got no control of," Bracken said.

Both Slater and Waugh said the key to NSW's prospects was the way its powerful batting lineup performed against the strong Bulls attack.

"They have got an extremely strong bowling side and their batting has been weak," Slater said.

NSW: Steve Waugh (capt), Michael Slater, Greg Mail, Simon Katich, Michael Clarke, Mark Waugh, Brad Haddin, Stuart MacGill, Nathan Bracken, Don Nash, Stuart Clark, Doug Bollinger (12th man to be named).

QUEENSLAND: Martin Love (capt), Brendan Nash, Clinton Perren, Daniel Payne, Lee Carseldine, James Hopes, Wade Seccombe, Ashley Noffke, Michael Kasprowicz, Joe Dawes, Matthew Anderson, Chris Simpson. (12th man to be named).