Former Victoria pace bowler Mick Lewis has been plucked out of retirement by WA for the Twenty20 Big Bash competition starting tonight against Tasmania at the WACA Ground

Lewis, 36, called time on his career in 2008 after an injury-plagued season with the Bushrangers. He has not played interstate cricket at the highest level since a one-day game against South Australia in October 2007.

This summer, Lewis has been plying his trade with Coburg in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association and has taken 11 wickets at an average of 7.18 in four games.

Lewis is expected to provide some grunt in the fast-bowling department alongside English import Sajid Mahmood. Pace pair Michael Hogan and Nathan Coulter-Nile have also been named in the 13-man side for tonight's game.

Promising young batsman Tom Beaton has also been cleared to play after suffering an elbow injury while facing up to Lewis in a practice match at Balcatta this week.

Warriors coach Mickey Arthur believed Lewis - who represented Australia in seven one-day internationals and two Twenty20 games - still had something to offer after he "impressed us" by bowling really well in the intra-squad game.

However, Lewis hit the headlines on the international stage for all the wrong reasons when he was used as a death bowler in that infamous world-record clash between Australia and South Africa in Johannesburg in 2006.

After Australia posted a record 4-434 off its 50 overs, the Proteas stunned everyone by reaching the target with one wicket and one ball to spare.

In that game, Lewis saw his reputation as a death bowler destroyed when he became the most expensive bowler in one-day international history with staggering  figures of 0-113 off his 10 overs.

Lewis was dropped from the team and his Cricket Australia contract was not renewed.

"Twenty20 cricket is very unpredictable, one ball determines the course of the game. It's about being up for every ball but I genuinely believe if we can string some form together, we've got the team that can win the competition."

WA: Marcus North (Captain), Tom Beaton, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Gayle, Aaron Heal, Michael Hogan, Michael Lewis, Sajid Mahmood, Shaun Marsh, Luke Pomersbach, Luke Ronchi, Michael Swart, Adam Voges.