Cummins handed Blues one-day captaincy

Pat Cummins will find out the demands of being a fast bowler and captain after he was named NSW's one-day skipper today.

Cummins, Australia's vice-captain behind Tim Paine (Test) and Aaron Finch (ODI and T20), will lead NSW in the Marsh One-Day Cup, while former Test gloveman and incumbent skipper Peter Nevill will continue leading the Blues' Marsh Sheffield Shield team.

The 27-year-old's first outing as captain will come next Monday when the Blues host Victoria at North Sydney Oval after the re-jigged domestic schedule was announced today by Cricket Australia.

With Paine in the twilight of his international career, the search is underway for his replacement when the Tasmanian decides to step down.

Cummins and former captain Steve Smith appear to be the main contenders, and now the pacemen can push his claims with his first stint as skipper of a senior team.

"Pat is a highly respected person throughout Australian cricket, and he knows the values NSW cricket and the Blues hold dearly," said NSW coach Phil Jaques. 

"We have no doubt he’ll prove to be a fantastic leader and I know he will also be a great role model for all Blues players.

"Captaining NSW in these matches is a really good opportunity for Pat to not only demonstrate how good a leader he is, but it’s a chance to show he also has the tactical nous to be a really good captain."

Fortunately for Cummins, he will have an experienced Blues team around him in his first game in charge despite a few big omissions.

Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon, Moises Henriques, Sean Abbott and Kurtis Patterson have been named in NSW's 13-man squad for the clash against Victoria.

But David Warner, Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood have not been named.

Starc and Hazlewood were not picked due to the upcoming heavy workload in the Sheffield Shield, while Warner is still recovering from a groin injury he suffered at the start of the summer.

While Starc and Hazlewood have been named to face Victoria in the Shield match at the SCG from next Wednesday, Cummins has not been selected.

Following the SCG clash, NSW travel to the MCG to play Victoria from February 25-28 before heading to Adelaide to take on South Australia, starting March 6.

The Shield season has been reduced to eight rounds before the final, while the One-Day Cup will see each state play five games, with a final to culminate the season.

NSW Blues Marsh One-Day Cup squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Harry Conway, Oliver Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Liam Hatcher, Matthew Gilkes, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Nathan Lyon, Kurtis Patterson, Steve Smith
 
NSW Blues Marsh Sheffield Shield squad: Peter Nevill (c), Sean Abbott, Harry Conway, Trent Copeland, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Nick Larkin, Nathan Lyon, Kurtis Patterson, Steve Smith, Daniel Solway, Mitch Starc