Thorpe eyes first-class return with NSW

Graham Thorpe, the 100-Test England batsman, is a contender to resume his first-class career and help New South Wales push for back-to-back Pura Cups. Thorpe is an assistant coach for the Blues after finishing his county career last winter, but he has posted two half-centuries for his club side UTS Balmain and is a chance to fill the gaps left by Australian selections in the final matches of the regular season.

New South Wales will wait to learn the availability of players currently in the national one-day squad before they name their line-up for next Tuesday's match against Western Australia, but when the tour of South Africa departs there are likely to be vacancies for an experienced batsmen against Tasmania and South Australia. "It'd be a huge challenge, huge," Thorpe said in the Sydney Morning Herald. "I'm 36 years old, so physically you have to keep yourself in good nick. If it was one game, two games - whatever it was it'd be a huge honour to play."

Thorpe knows he gives New South Wales, who are in third place, an option, but his time in Australia is primarily to "work on some other roles". A regular back injury has been overcome again and Thorpe will retire from playing at the end of this season.

"On the playing front, if it happens it happens, if it doesn't it doesn't," he said. "It's probably why I fitted the bill in many ways - I could be there as cover, I've got experience, and, touch wood, physically I'll stay good as well. If it didn't happen, I wouldn't be leaving with my tail between my legs, either."