Recalled Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin will reunite with champion batsman Ricky Ponting for the Prime Minister's XI match in Canberra later this month.
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In a dream scenario for promoters, Haddin and Ponting will grace the field together for the final time when they take on the West Indies at Manuka Oval on January 29.
Ponting had been announced late last year as captain of the invitational outfit and the remainder of the squad will be released on Friday.
Traditionally, the Prime Minister's XI has only one current or recently retired Australian player alongside rising stars and a player from the ACT club competition.
However, Queanbeyan product Haddin is getting a second helping after his appearance in last year's corresponding fixture was washed out without a ball being bowled.
About 9000 tickets have been sold for the annual PM's XI encounter, while the one-day game between Australia and the West Indies on February 6 is on track to be a sell-out.
Haddin has been recalled to the Australian team for the first two games of the five-match limited-overs series with Sri Lanka, starting at the MCG on Friday.
Australia has a Twenty20 international with Sri Lanka the day before the PM's XI game, but Haddin's appearance in Canberra is understood not to be under threat.
It'll be the first time Haddin and Ponting have teamed up since the fifth Test against India at the Adelaide Oval in January last year.
Haddin lost his place in the Test team to Matthew Wade after returning from the tour of the West Indies to care for his ill daughter.
The 35-year-old has responded to his axing the best way possible by piling on the runs for NSW to give selectors the confidence to bring him back to the national team while Wade is rested. A strong performance for the PM's XI would further enhance Haddin's claims to reclaim his spot for this year's Ashes series in England.
Ponting called stumps on his illustrious international career after the Perth Test against South Africa, finishing as Australia's leading run-scorer with more than 13,000 at an average of 51.85 with 41 centuries.
At 38, he has continued to score heavily for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League and will be looking to give Canberra fans one final trademark performance.
JANUARY 29
Prime Minister's XI v West Indies at Manuka Oval, 2.15pm. Tickets from Ticketek.
