Clarke and Lee passed fit for NSW

Clarke and Lee passed fit for NSW

Michael Clarke and Brett Lee have been given the all-clear to return for New South Wales in Sunday's FR Cup match against Tasmania as they attempt to prove they are fit enough for Test selection. Clarke's back injury, which ruled him out of tours to South Africa and India, has continued to improve while Lee has overcome an elbow problem that forced him home early from India.

It will be Lee's first one-day game for his state since 2007 while Clarke last appeared in the format three years ago. The pair's selection means New South Wales have eight internationals to pick from for the game at North Sydney Oval.

Josh Hazlewood, the young fast bowler, and Burt Cockley, who was a replacement in India without playing a game, are also in the squad. Mitchell Starc, Ben Rohrer and Dominic Thornely have been dropped.

Victoria take on Western Australia in Melbourne on Saturday and have been hit by the withdrawal of the fast bowler Shane Harwood, who injured his right shoulder at training on Thursday. Harwood had surgery on the arm before the season and will be replaced by Steve Gilmour, who made his first-class debut last season.

New South Wales squad Phillip Hughes, David Warner, Phil Jaques, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich (capt), Brad Haddin (wk), Steven Smith, Brett Lee, Stephen O'Keefe, Stuart Clark, Burt Cockley, Josh Hazlewood.

Victoria squad Rob Quiney, Chris Rogers, Brad Hodge, David Hussey (capt), Aaron Finch, Michael Hill, Matthew Wade (wk), John Hastings, Glenn Maxwell, Darren Pattinson, Steve Gilmour, Bryce McGain.

Western Australia squad Wes Robinson, Marcus Stoinis, Marcus North (capt), David Bandy, Theo Doropoulos, Mitchell Marsh, Luke Ronchi (wk), Ashley Noffke, Aaron Heal, Brad Knowles, Brett Dorey, Michael Hogan.

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Lee faces uphill battle for Test spot

Lee faces uphill battle for Test spot

The push of Brett Lee and Stuart Clark to regain their Test spots at the Gabba could be in vain after Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, indicated Australia's three younger bowlers would remain the panel's preferred option. Australia's decision makers are already looking ahead to next year's Ashes series and will use the Tests against West Indies and Pakistan to groom the side for the attempt at regaining the urn.

That means Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus will have the inside running, leaving Lee and Clark to hope for the next berth whenever the side goes with a four-man pace attack. There is always a chance of that formation being used at the Gabba, which hosts the first match against the West Indies from November 26, but Hilditch does not see any changes to the pecking order.

"It's going to take something pretty special for Brett Lee or Stuart Clark to force their way in for a variety of reasons," he told the Australian. "The situation has pretty much remained as is. Those three bowlers were the leading wicket-takers in the Ashes. One [Johnson] has just been named international cricketer of the year, Hilfenhaus was the bowler of the Ashes and Peter Siddle was the young cricketer of the year."

Despite their success they were unable to prevent Australia from losing the series and Johnson's performances in the two defeats at Lord's and The Oval were particularly costly. Hilditch said Lee and Clark remained "very good" bowlers".

"Brett has been one of our very best," he said. "It's up to him to get back to four-day cricket and demonstrate a case to get back in." Lee has suffered in 2009 with a recovery from ankle surgery, a side strain and now an elbow problem that means he must prove his fitness for New South Wales.

While the attack appears settled, with Siddle expected to start bowling next week after a minor side strain, the batting order is less predictable. There has been a big push for the opener Phillip Hughes to return to the team, but Michael Hussey's strong performances in India have almost certainly secured his spot at the Gabba.

Shane Watson replaced Hughes during the Ashes and has been told by Hilditch to remain flexible as the selectors try to find a way back in for the 20-year-old. ''As far as Phil Hughes is concerned, I've made it very clear that he is a long-term player," Hilditch told the Sydney Morning Herald. "He is certainly in the running, we've been watching how he's been going in the Sheffield Shield … He is going to be strongly considered for the first Test.''

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Adrian Barath calm ahead of maiden tour

Adrian Barath calm ahead of maiden tour

Adrian Barath: "It will be challenging for me playing against Australia, but as a player you will have to face them and this will be the first time for me."

Adrian Barath had reason to feel hard done by at not being selected for the tour of England this year, but was not putting too much thought to his impending Test debut. Barath, the promising Trinidad & Tobago batsman from whom much is expected, has had an outstanding regional first-class season (845 runs at an average of 44.47) and looks primed for a Test debut in the upcoming tour of Australia.

There were few nerves as far as the shift from Twenty20 to Test cricket was concerned. "Over the next couple of days I will be doing some batting in the nets and practicing and I will be practising even more when I get to Australia to make sure I am ready for the challenge,' he said.

The contract row that rumbled on for the past few months denied him a possible Test debut against Bangladesh, but Barath was keen to look ahead. "I got selected against Bangladesh this year and I did not play because of the unfortunate situation, but I am glad to see things back to normal, back to the full-strength West Indies team again," he said.

"I think everyone was waiting on that and it is a wonderful feeling for me to have this opportunity again to represent the region. It will be challenging for me playing against Australia, but as a player you will have to face them and this will be the first time for me but, hopefully, I can rise to the challenge and play each ball on its merit."

West Indies will play three Tests in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth before returning for a one-day series in February.

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