NORTH Melbourne champion Brent Harvey will come out of retirement to represent the Kangaroos on January 27.
However the games record holder will be holding a cricket bat as he takes part in the annual T20 game between North Melbourne and Hawthorn to raise funds for the Ricky Ponting Foundation.
Selection for Ricky Ponting's Biggest Game of Cricket was rocked with the off-season departures of Jordan Lewis and Sam Mitchell from Hawthorn and big-hitting Drew Petrie's move to West Coast.
Petrie scored 38 not out in last year's encounter.
Despite the hiccups both teams managed to regroup in time to select a mix of former and current players (and cricketers) to develop formidable squads.
Along with Harvey's return, Jarryd Roughead will line up for the Hawks in a welcome return to the centre alongside Tasmanian Grant Birchall.
Rumours that Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson may line up for North Melbourne so Luke Hodge could bowl at him were dispelled when the veteran coach was listed in the Hawks' squad.
With Ponting leading North Melbourne and former Australia swing bowler Damien Fleming leading the Hawks, the respective club captains Luke Hodge and newly appointed Jack Ziebell have agreed to assume the title of vice-captain for the occasion.
The clash will be an excellent precursor for the JLT Community Series game between North Melbourne and Hawthorn to be played at Arden Street, just one month later on February 26, 2017.
"I reckon we have a squad capable of dominating the Hawks,” Ponting said.
North Melbourne squad
Ricky Ponting (Captain)
Brent Harvey (Vice Captain)
Jack Ziebell (Vice Captain)
Glenn Archer
Ben Brown
Leigh Colbert
Darren Crocker
Majak Daw
Shaun Higgins
Jamie Macmillan
Mick Martyn
Jarred Moore
Peter Siddle
Anthony Stevens
Lindsay Thomas
Hawthorn squad
Damien Fleming (Captain)
Luke Hodge (Vice Captain)
Jarryd Roughead (Vice Captain)
Grant Birchall
Luke Breust
Cameron Bruce
Alastair Clarkson
Shane Crawford
James Frawley
Josh Gibson
Jack Gunston
Blake Hardwick
Daniel Harford
John Hastings
Brett Ratten
Isaac Smith
Brendan Whitecross
Dallas Willsmore
Ricky’s Biggest Game of Cricket
Hawthorn v North Melbourne
T20 Cricket Game
7pm, 27 January, 2017
Aurora Stadium, Launceston
All proceeds from the game will go to the Ricky Ponting Foundation to support its cancer and health-related projects in Tasmania
www.ticketmaster.com.au
