Cricket: Leg-spinner Aaron Bills comes in for Newcastle's campaign at NSW Country Championships

Wests recruit Bills was unavailable for last week's T20 match against an ACT XI at Canberra's Manuka Oval, but has been called up for the three-day tournament on the Central Coast following the third round of the local competition.

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Bills took 3-13 from his eight overs in Saturday's club win against Merewether at Townson Oval. He has four first grade wickets for the season to date and collected combined figures of 4-61 from three recent T20 Regional Bash outings with the Lake Mac Attack.

The Maitland junior was on Monday named in the 13 alongside Waratah-Mayfield skipper Nathan Hudson and Charlestown opening batsman Daniel Arms, who will all feature for Newcastle at a maiden NSW Country Championships.

Former Bush Blues representative Nick Foster will keep captaining Newcastle with reigning district player of the year Nathan Price midway through a four-game suspension for dissent.

Newcastle trio Jed Dickson, Adrian Chad and Josh Geary were all picked for NSW Country last summer.

Ben Balcomb, Brad Aldous and Jacob Montgomery retain their positions for Newcastle while Jeff Goninan, Andrew Somerville and Aaron Wivell return after various time away.

Newcastle, who missed the final 12 months ago after last claiming the title in 2017-18, open this 50-over campaign against North Coastal at Jubilee Park on Friday.

Next up will be Central Northern at Sohier Park on Saturday and they finish with hosts Central Coast back at Jubilee on Sunday.

A decider is scheduled for November 21.

Meanwhile, the inaugural Newcastle District Cricket Association women's T20 competition is scheduled to start on Wednesday.

NEWCASTLE: Nick Foster (c), Daniel Arms, Jeff Goninan, Nathan Hudson, Ben Balcomb, Jed Dickson, Adrian Chad, Aaron Wivell, Josh Geary, Aaron Bills, Brad Aldous, Andrew Somerville, Jacob Montgomery.

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