The Sheffield Shield season kicks off on October 8. South Australian star Travis Head and teammate Alex Carey could face the formidable New South Wales attack, featuring Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon, in the opening round at Silverwater’s Cricket Central.

Veteran batter Steve Smith will be under the spotlight as he bats at the top of the order for New South Wales against South Australia and then Victoria.

Defending champions Western Australia may see all-rounders Cameron Green and Mitch Marsh bolster their squad for the opening games against Queensland. This match will mark Marnus Labuschagne’s debut as the full-time captain of the Bulls, and he, along with Usman Khawaja, will face a challenging WACA Ground wicket against speedsters Jhye Richardson and Lance Morris, both vying for Test selection.

While the availability of top players will taper off during rounds three and four due to the overlapping home series against Pakistan, some players, like Green, may continue to prioritise the Shield. Green’s red-ball focus last summer was pivotal in his breakthrough century against New Zealand in Wellington in February.

Additionally, the competition will lose some leading performers to back-to-back Australia A first-class games against India A in Mackay and Melbourne.

CA has also scheduled matches at a mix of major stadiums and smaller venues to optimise the experience for players and fans. Only two of the first 12 Shield games will be hosted at current Test grounds (MCG and Adelaide Oval), with the first 11 one-dayers played at secondary venues.

Additionally, the competition will lose some leading performers to back-to-back Australia A first-class games against India A in Mackay and Melbourne.

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“We are confident that scheduling games at a mixture of major stadiums and smaller venues will provide the best possible experiences for players and fans,” said CA’s head of operations and scheduling, Peter Roach. “We look forward to the beginning of our domestic season on September 22 and thank the State and Territory Associations and the Australian Cricketers’ Association for their ongoing support.”