Waugh in charge of full-strength NSW

Australian captain Steve Waugh will lead a full-strength NSW team for the first - and perhaps last - time this season in a star-studded ING Cup showdown with Queensland at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Although scheduled for daylight hours, perhaps night time would have been more appropriate given the abundance of stars on show for the game.

Of the 24 players chosen for the two teams, only Queensland batsman Clinton Perren and NSW paceman Stuart Clark have not been chosen in an Australian squad from under-19 level upward.

Waugh, who will tomorrow announce the biggest bat sponsorship in Australian cricket history, missed the Blues' first two games in both the ING and Pura Cups because of a bout of deep vein thrombosis.

He was recalled along with international pacemen Brett Lee and Nathan Bracken after all three missed the ING Cup wins over Victoria and Tasmania.

Making way for the international trio were all-rounder Shawn Bradstreet, fast-bowler Don Nash and unlucky batsman Michael Clarke who got his highest first class score against Victoria last week.

Waugh will temporarily gain the captaincy from Shane Lee.

With the international season in full swing, this Sunday's match could mark the only opportunity for Waugh to play for NSW this season and for the Blues to be at full strength.

However, NSW chairman of selectors John Benaud was hopeful the Blues would have a full complement to choose from for their December 8th ING Cup game against South Australia in Adelaide which falls between the last Test against New Zealand and the first one against South Africa.

The Blues awesome batting lineup on Sunday will include Steve and Mark Waugh, plus other seasoned internationals in Michael Slater, Michael Bevan and Shane Lee plus young guns Brad Haddin and Mark Higgs.

Their attack will feature a quartet of internationals in pacemen Lee, Bracken, Glenn McGrath plus spinner Stuart MacGill and in form quick Stuart Clark.

Queensland today retained the same 12 which defeated Victoria in its last outing.

The Bulls boast an imposing batting armoury of their own with plenty of artillery supplied by international stars Matthew Hayden, Jimmy Maher, Andrew Symonds and skipper Stuart Law plus classy No.3 Martin Love.

Even without injured pacemen Adam Dale and Joe Dawes, the Bulls can call upon a bowling arsenal including Test representative Andy Bichel and Michael Kasprowicz and Ashes tourist Ashley Noffke.

NSW lead the ING ladder on quotients from Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, though the Blues and Bulls have played less games than the other two teams.

NSW BLUES: Steve Waugh (capt), Michael Bevan, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Mark Higgs, Brett Lee, Shane Lee, Stuart MacGill, Glenn McGrath, Michael Slater, Mark Waugh.

QUEENSLAND BULLS: Stuart Law (capt), Andy Bichel, Nathan Hauritz, Matthew Hayden, James Hopes, Michael Kasprowicz, Martin Love, Jimmy Maher, Ashley Noffke, Clinton Perren, Wade Seccombe, Andrew Symonds.