Maddinson to make return to cricket

Ex-Test batsman Nic Maddinson will make his return to cricket next week after today being named in NSW's Futures League team to face Western Australia from Monday.

Maddinson, who lost his spot in Australia's Test side following the second Commonwealth Bank Test against Pakistan, will travel to Perth to play in the Blues' match at Lilac Hill in his first game back after taking time away from the game.

The left-hander is available for NSW's next Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania in Wollongong on February 25.

Maddinson hasn't played a domestic match since January's KFC Big Bash League final, when the Sydney Sixers went down to the Perth Scorchers at the WACA.

The 25-year-old returned to NSW training last week, after missing the first two Sheffield Shield games after the BBL break.

Fast-bowler Gurinder Sandhu, also named in the Blues' Futures League squad captained by Ben Rohrer, said he was looking forward to having Maddinson back.

"It's great to have him on our side, that's for sure," said Sandhu.

"He is a batsman who can take the game away from the opposition.

"It's been great to see him back training with the Blues and back around cricket.

"I think if he's back that means he's enjoying cricket, which is the main thing because it is a sport that is meant to be fun and to be enjoyed."

Maddinson made his Test debut against South Africa in Adelaide in November.

He was dismissed for a duck in his maiden innings and scored 1, 4 and 22 in innings against Pakistan before being dropped. He scored 75 runs in seven matches in the BBL.

In six Shield innings preceding his Test selection to open the 2016-17 season, Maddinson had scored 235 runs at 39.16, including a brilliant 116 on a turning SCG pitch against Western Australia.

Maddinson recently reflected on his Test matches and said he "did not feel out of place being in Test cricket".

"I don't know whether I was trying to convince myself I was ready or I actually believed it but I thought I was," Maddinson said. 

"Still, you don't know until you're there and have to perform under that pressure. 

"At the time I didn't feel out of place being in Test cricket.

"When I was batting I felt comfortable, I wasn't nervous or stressed about being up to the challenge.

"I thought I was adequate and had a few good opportunities to nail down a spot which I missed out so that was disappointing. 

"I might not have had the couple of scores in the Shield game before leading up to that Test but I still felt like once I was there I could perform there."

NSW Futures League squad to play WA on February 20:

Ben Rohrer (captain), Nick Bertus, Ryan Carters, Daniel Fallins, Ryan Gibson, Liam Hatcher, Josh Lalor, Jay Lenton, Nic Maddinson, Arjun Nair, Gurinder Sandhu, Charlie Stobo.