Victoria has made a shock move at the selection table, recalling wicketkeeper Adam Crosthwaite for the Pura Cup match against Queensland starting at the MCG on Friday.
Crosthwaite replaces 20-year-old Matthew Wade in a 13-man squad for Victoria's final match ahead of the Pura Cup final against New South Wales starting on Saturday week.
Wade, who crossed to the mainland from Tasmania during the off-season, has been dumped after making 335 runs at 27.91 in his nine matches this summer. He made two and 35 in Victoria's last match, a 120-run loss to Western Australia in Perth.
The news is a tremendous fillip for Crosthwaite, who two years ago was axed two matches out from the final.
After playing every match last season for Victoria in all three forms of the game, Crosthwaite was dumped in favour of Wade at the start of the summer for the Pura Cup but remained in favour in the Ford Ranger Cup and the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash.
The Bushrangers have left out senior paceman Shane Harwood, choosing to manage his workload ahead of the final, but have recalled quicks Dirk Nannes and Darren Pattinson.
Gerard Denton (ankle) and Peter Siddle (shoulder) were not considered.
Victoria can host the Pura Cup final if it can snare more points from the final round of matches than the Blues, who are also locked on 33 points.
"We're not too fussed about where we play, but we'd like it here because it gives you the advantage that you don't have to win the game to win the Pura Cup," skipper Cameron White said on Thursday morning.
The Bulls have made a further three changes to the squad they picked earlier in the week after paceman Chris Swan and batting pair Greg Moller and Martin Love were all ruled out.
Swan has a groin strain, Moller is recovering from concussion after being struck in the head while fielding at short leg in the win against South Australia earlier this week and Love has been struck down by a sudden attack of Bell's palsy.
That causes paralysis in the facial muscles and while he is expected to recover shortly, Bulls medical staff erred on the side of caution by ruling him out for the final match of Queensland's season.
In come opener Nick Kruger and batsman Clinton Perren, while Nathan Reardon and paceman Ben Laughlin are set to make their first-class debuts.
Victoria: Cameron White (c), Adam Crosthwaite, Brad Hodge, David Hussey, Nick Jewell, Andrew McDonald, Bryce McGain, Clinton McKay, Lloyd Mash, Dirk Nannes, Darren Pattinson, Rob Quiney, Allan Wise (one to be omitted, 12th man to be named)
Queensland: Chris Simpson (c), Scott Brant, Ryan Broad, Daniel Doran, Chris Hartley, Nick Kruger, Ben Laughlin, Ashley Noffke, Aaron Nye, Clinton Perren, Nathan Reardon, Shane Watson (12th man to be named)