Big-hitter McCullum, who did not feature in any of the Blues' matches, has been named in their 12-man team for the Saturday's decider against Victoria with an eye on the Champions Twenty20 League in India in October.

He, however, will be able to play for them only if his IPL team, the Kolkata Knight Riders, fail to qualify.

"Is that what Australian cricket, NSW cricket is having to do? It goes against the spirit of being an Australian I think. That's not Australian to me," he was quoted as saying by the 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

The 27-year-old McCullum had blasted the highest individual Twenty20 score during the opening match of the 2008 IPL when he scored 158 not out off just 73 balls.

Symonds, who is recovering after a knee surgery, praised McCullum's talent in the shortest form of the game but attacked the Blues for depriving a young player of a spot in the final. "I'm trying to understand the modern world," the all-rounder said.