Marcus North says he's devastated to miss out on the chance to play in his first Bupa Sheffield Shield final but is confident his Western Australian teammates can make it without him.
North suffered a dislocated finger and severe tendon damage that required immediate surgery in the Warriors' innings and 323 run mauling of New South Wales, which will rule him out for the remainder of the domestic season.
The record win over the Blues took WA (32 points) to the top of the table with just two games left, although Queensland (30), Tasmania (28) and Victoria (24) are all hot on their heels.
North made his Shield debut in 1999-2000, the season after the Warriors last played in and won the competition's final, and said it was a huge personal blow to lose the opportunity to play in the 2011-12 decider.
"There's never a good time for an injury but unfortunately it's come at the back end of the season when we're playing some pretty good cricket," he said.
"It's devastating, to be honest ... It's going to be pretty hard to take"
"We've played some great cricket and hopefully they can top it off with making a Shield final and if they do I'll just have to live with the fact I won't be playing in it."
"But I've contributed and been part of the group, which is something I'd be very proud of."
North's absence will leave fellow former international Adam Voges to take the reins for WA's final two matches of the home-and-away season against the Tigers and Bushrangers.
Voges will have plenty of in-form players to work with in those matches too, with the likes of Liam Davis and Michael Beer producing brilliant performances against the Blues.
Davis went to the top of the Shield batting aggregate table with his 826 runs coming from just six matches at an average of 82.6, thanks to his incredible 303 not out against NSW, while Beer took a career-best 7-46 in the second innings.
North said both the opening batsman and spinner should be entering national team calculations.
"Liam has been fantastic throughout the year," he said.
"He's living up to his talent and he's got that belief. If you keep making runs like that, you've got to be knocking the door down."
"And it's another good reminder that he [Beer] is certainly challenging [Nathan] Lyon and the rest of the spinners around the country for that spot."
Left-arm orthodox bowler Beer, who played his one Test against England in January 2011, has taken 22 wickets at an average of 23 in six Shield matches this season.
