Bulls set for Blues matches

A pair of Dolphins will bolster the Queensland Bulls pace bowling armoury for this week’s matches against New South Wales at the Gabba.

Gold Coast swing bowler Scott Brant will make a return to the Queensland one day line-up for the first time since 2004, while Dolphins captain and all-rounder Chris Swan has been named to make his first class debut for the Pura Cup clash starting on Friday.

Swan, 28, is still pinching himself following his surprise Pura Cup call-up. He played Queensland youth cricket alongside the likes of current Bulls players Brendan Nash and James Hopes but admitted he had not given a thought to his selection prospects before receiving a call late on Sunday night from the State selectors.

“It was a pretty amazing call to get – I reckon there could be a few more sleepless nights between now and Friday when the game starts,’’ he said.

“It’s been a few seasons since I last played 2nd XI cricket for Queensland and with the age restrictions on that level of competition these days, I wasn’t really thinking about any form of cricket other than for the Dolphins.”

The Gold Coast captain will join his new Queensland team-mates for his only training session with the team on Thursday afternoon from 2pm at the Gabba.

Rookie quick Grant Sullivan will also make his debut this week in both forms of the game.

Wednesday’s game is a day/nighter starting at 2:15pm (AEST). It will be covered live and exclusive on Fox Sports from 2:00pm.

Queensland Ford Ranger Cup Squad:
Jimmy Maher (c), Andy Bichel, Scott Brant, Michael Buchanan, Chris Hartley, James Hopes, Brendan Nash, Clinton Perren, Craig Philipson, Chris Simpson, Lachlan Stevens, Grant Sullivan. (12th man to be named).

Queensland Pura Cup Squad: Fri-Mon @ the Gabba, 10:00am local start
Jimmy Maher (c), Andy Bichel, Daniel Doran, Chris Hartley, James Hopes, Martin Love, Brendan Nash, Clinton Perren, Craig Philipson, Lachlan Stevens, Grant Sullivan, Chris Swan (12th man to be named).