Find all the Shield team news ahead of what shapes as another intriguing round
SA squad: Ben Manenti (c), Harry Conway, Brendan Doggett, Daniel Drew, Henry Hunt, Spencer Johnson, Thomas Kelly, Jake Lehmann, Harry Nielsen, Conor McInerney, Lloyd Pope, Liam Scott
Ins: Spencer Johnson, Liam Scott
Outs: Nathan McAndrew, Henry Thornton
Spencer Johnson makes his return to Sheffield Shield cricket after playing a key role for Australia in the limited-overs matches against Pakistan, including a five-wicket haul in the second T20 international. South Australia, already missing Test players Travis Head, Alex Carey and new Aussie opener Nathan McSweeney, have been further weakened by the absence of Nathan McAndrew, who suffered an injury to his hand whilt attempting ot field off his own bowling in the innings defeat to NSW in the previous round. Ben Manenti again captains the side that plays WA for the Rod Marsh Cup in one of two day-night matches this round.
WA squad: Ashton Turner (c), Cameron Bancroft, Hilton Cartwright, Keaton Critchell, Joel Curtis, Sam Fanning, Cameron Gannon, Jayden Goodwin, Lance Morris, Joel Paris, Jhye Richardson, Corey Rocchiccioli, Teague Wyllie
Ins: Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Teague Wyllie
Outs: Ashton Agar (shoulder), Mahli Beardman (omitted), Brody Couch (managed)
The returns of WA pace tyros Jhye Richardson and Lance Morris to the Sheffield Shield are a great news story for Australian cricket, although both are understood to be on workload restrictions for this day-night match. The pair last featured in the Shield in November 2023, with Richardson having played four One-Day Cup games for WA and Morris three, as well as the final ODI against Pakistan. Richardson has fond memories of Adelaide Oval – his most recent first-class match there was also a pink-ball encounter where he claimed five second innings wicket to bowl Australia to victory in the second Test of the 2021-22 Ashes series, and said he felt “alive again” after coming through a Second XI fixture where he delivered 25 overs across two innings.
The restrictions on Richardson and Morris means a likely juggling act for skipper Ashton Turner, with Mahli Beardman also out ahead of playing in the PM’s XI clash against India next week, while Ashton Agar is targeting a return early in the KFC BBL|14 season after injuring his left shoulder last round.
NSW squad: Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Ollie Davies, Jack Edwards (c), Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan HAdley, Sam Konstas, Nic Maddinson, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Adam Zampa
Ins: Sean Abbott, Josh Philippe, Adam Zampa
Outs: Jack Nisbet, Lachlan Shaw, Tanveer Sangha
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa will make a rare foray into the Sheffield Shield after being named in the New South Wales squad to play Tasmania at the SCG in match starting Sunday. Zampa joins Sean Abbott and Josh Philippe in returning from white-ball duty with Australia (Philippe was a late out of the last round after being called up by Australia but not playing). A veteran of almost 200 white ball matches for Australia, Zampa last played Shield in the 2022-23 season when he featured in two games. Zampa’s enthusiasm for the Shield in a window before the BBL starts likely comes with an eye on Australia’s two-Test tour of Sri Lanka in February, while a Test tour of the Caribbean also looms in 2025. While Zampa has been added, fellow leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha drops out of the squad – he went wicketless across 21 overs in the match against SA at Karen Rolton Oval last round, which NSW won by an innings.
Jack Edwards will continue to skipper NSW with Moises Henriques out of the Shield for the remainder of this year as he pushes for a return from a left hamstring injury in the BBL. NSW will wear black armbands throughout the match, and there will be a minute’s silence prior to play on day four to mark the 10 year anniversary of the death of Phillip Hughes, who was struck while batting at the SCG on November 25, 2014, and died in hospital two days later.
Tasmania squad: TBA
In: TBA
Out: TBA
Queensland squad: Mitchell Swepson (c), Xavier Bartlett, Jack Clayton, Liam Guthrie, Lachlan Hearne, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Bryce Street, Tom Whitney, Jack Wildermuth
Ins: Xavier Bartlett, Jack Wildermuth
Outs: Tom Straker
Xavier Bartlett is in line to play his first Sheffield Shield match of the summer after returning to Queensland having starred for Australia’s limited-overs squad in their series against Pakistan for the Gabba day-night clash against Shield leaders Victoria. Allrounder Jack Wildermuth is also back in the squad having overcome a persistent groin injury. Bartlett’s return means a rest for 19-year-old rising star quick Tom Straker with the quick nicknamed ‘Monster Truck’ being carefully managed through his first season of Sheffield Shield cricket. The Bulls will be hoping their first match at the Gabba this season will bring a change of fortune as they remain winless after four rounds and bottom of the ladder.
Victoria squad: Peter Handscomb (c), Ash Chandrasinghe, Xavier Crone, Sam Elliott, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Jon Merlo, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Tom Rogers, Matthew Short, Peter Siddle
Ins: Matt Short
Out: none
Shield leaders Victoria have bolstered their squad with the addition of Aussie white-ball power hitter Matt Short for the clash with Shield cellar-dwellers Queensland at the Gabba under lights, starting Sunday. With the arrival of Short for his first Shield game of the season Victoria coach Chris Rogers has a decision to make on who to leave out of the playing XI following their last round win against title-holders WA. Opener Ash Chandrasinghe has yet to find form this summer, averaging just 17.37 after four rounds, meaning a reshuffle could be on the cards. Peter Handscomb continues to captain the side with Will Sutherland now expected to make his return from a side strain in the BBL.