Melbourne, Mar. 4 : Left-hander David Warner will make his first-class debut for New South Wales in a Sheffield Shield match after opener Phil Jaques dropped out due to back soreness.

The 22-year-old Australian opener in Twenty20 matches will bat in the middle order, with Ed Cowan filling the opening position.

In 2009, Warner became the third player in the history of Australian cricket to make an international début before playing a first-class game.

Warner made a sensational international debut against South Africa in the Twenty20 game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Subsequently, he was included in Australia''s one-day team for the series against South Africa. However, Warner couldn't generate any magic in the early matches.

His selection for NSW in a Sheffield Shield match comes amid speculation that he could be lost to the state because he''d been unable to secure a spot in the four-day team.

Earlier, New South Wales skipper Dominic Thornely was in no doubt that one-day sensation David Warner was not yet ready for the Sheffield Shield.

Though Test greats Glenn McGrath and Mark Waugh have wondered aloud why Warner has not been blooded at Shield level after bursting onto the international limited-overs scene, Thornely is adamant that the time is not quite right for Warner to break into the NSW Shield team.

"It has been fantastic for Australian cricket to see a guy like Dave come out and do what he did. But I still think Dave has got a little bit of a way to come for four-day cricket," Thornley had said. (ANI)