Hughes recall unlikely with Katich comeback on track

SHANE WATSON and Phillip Hughes will open the batting for NSW this week but don't count on the same pair fronting up at the Gabba against England later this month.

Australia's top-order rock Simon Katich yesterday gave the strongest indication yet he will be fit to face England's quicks when the Ashes start on November 25, and his confidence was shared by national selector Andrew Hilditch.

Hilditch dismissed suggestions Katich was in doubt for the first Test.

''I wouldn't have thought so,'' he said. ''He played both Tests in India with exactly the same injury that he's got now, but it did concern him in India so we're taking a pretty conservative approach.''

Katich's likely availability means Hughes will have to be satisfied partnering Watson wearing the baggy blue of NSW rather than the baggy green. But national selectors, despite axing the 21-year-old from the Test side during last year's Ashes series, clearly still have lofty targets for Hughes.

'To be able to live here and play here is something that fits my life so perfectly. It's different for a Queenslander representing NSW but I'm very lucky to be out there.''

There could be as many as 16 players with international experience at the SCG this week, including nine for NSW. Khawaja, Mark Cameron and Trent Copeland are yet to play for their country but have experience with A squads.

The high-class Blues batting line-up will face a stern test from Victoria's attack, regarded by many as the best in state cricket.

O'Keefe gets captaincy nod for baby New South Wales

The spin-bowling allrounder Steve O'Keefe will captain New South Wales for the first time after being named to stand in for Stuart Clark against Sri Lanka this Sunday.

The Blues have looked to the future by appointing O'Keefe, 25, who will guide a side including the veteran fast man Brett Lee.

The 50-over match is one of three warm-up games for the Sri Lankans before they begin their series of one Twenty20 and three ODIs against Australia.

The left-armer O'Keefe, who made his Twenty20 international debut against Pakistan in July, was the Man of the Match in the recent Ryobi Cup win over Western Australia.

several players are rested. Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Phil Jaques and Trent Copeland will all be rested to be replaced by Mark Cameron, Peter Nevill, Phillip Hughes and Tim Cruickshank.

Manly-Warringah batsman Cruickshank will make his debut for the Blues after impressing selectors in the past two seasons with his form in Second XI and grade cricket.

New South Wales squad Phillip Hughes, Nic Maddinson, Usman Khawaja, Peter Forrest, Tim Cruickshank, Ben Rohrer, Steve O'Keefe (capt), Peter Nevill (wk), Sean Abbott, Brett Lee, Scott Coyte, Mark Cameron.