After a pause for the BBL, Sheffield Shield Crickt returns on Saturday for the last four rounds of the regular season to see who will reach the final at the end of March in the middle of what is a very tight table after six rounds. Here is a reminder of how things are.
1. Australia del Sur
Leading the table, southern Australia can dream of playing in its first Sheffield Shield Since since 2016-17 and pressing for its first title since 1995-96.
After winning two of his first three games, SA recovered from a defeat of entries against Nueva Wales del Sur with a very reign draw against the western Australian champions before one of the most exciting victories in the history of Sheffield Shield when They surpassed Tasmania for two races. The final ball of the game. His penultimate round against Victoria gives potentially vital form.
Henry Hunt Opening batter is currently the main scorer of the season with 537, including three centuries.
Who will they be lost?
Travis Head, Alex Carey and Captain Nathan McSweeney are at Sri Lanka, although the latter should be available for the seven round match against Tasmania and the rest of the season. Head and Carey will be in the Champions Trophy and how the deep Australia will progress will determine what games can be available in March.
Carey, in theory, should make the last round and be available for any potential final, but there will be an interesting decision that is coming around the head, and others with IPL agreements, since that tournament begins just before the final, although A precedent was established last season when Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green were in India while Wa was playing the decisive. Jake Fraser-McGurk and Spencer Johnson have been called to the Odi team in Australia and could appear in the Champions Trophy before heading to the IPL.
2. Victoria
Sitting a little on a point behind SA, Victoria is well located again for a place in the final for the third time in four years that was lost by little last summer.
They lost the opportunity to go to the top when they fell to Queensland for 23 races in the round before the BBL annuls a 109 deficit to overcome the same opponents in Brisbane. They have three trips outside the four rounds.
Peter Handscomb and Marcus Harris have led their score with more than 400 races each and Campbell Kellaway hit a century of first class of a maiden in the last round. Fergus O’Neill is currently the leader of WICKET leaders with 22 at 19.31
Who will they be lost?
Scott Boland and Todd Murphy will miss this round of games, but they should be available after that after the Sri Lanka tour, although there may be some workload management for Boland. Matt Short is part of the Champions Trophy team, so he will lose at least two rounds and potentially three.
3. New South Wales
NSW was declared a champion in the 2019-2020 season discouraged by Covid, but they have not won the shield in a complete campaign since 2013-14. The game against Victoria in Sydney in the eighth round could be critical for them.
The return of Kurtis Patterson next to 527 races at 105.40 has been one of the stories of the domestic season, but they will need more than the rest of the higher order. Jackson Bird is equal to O’Neill with 22 WICKETS to 14.86, although Queensland’s game will be lost due to an injury.
Who will they be lost?
Sam Konstas has been released from Sri Lanka’s tour early so he can face Queensland in the Gabba and should be available for the rest of the season in an impulse to NSW’s hopes. However, Sean Abbott is still in Sri Lanka and can also be added to the Champions Trophy team. Nathan Lyon could be available after Sri Lanka’s tour, although he has wore a hip injury this season. Tanveer Sangha is currently touring and can travel to the Champions Trophy as a reserve, which would rule out at least two rounds.
There is a tempting perspective that Steven Smith is available for the last round and the final should qualify NSW. Mitchell Starc played a shield game earlier this season, but has an IPL agreement, just like Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, although that duo currently carries injuries.
4. Western Australia
The defending champions have taken a bit to do if they want to reach four titles in a row after suffering two losses in their first six games.
They had seen themselves well after an opening draw was followed by great consecutive victories against Tasmania (who won in the final of last season), but Victoria knocked them down in Melbourne and could not hold on to Sydney.
Hilton Cartwright has led the way in the races with 530 to 53.00 and Cameron Bancroft had managed to give a corner with a century after a terror start of the season, although it was part of that horrible collision in the BBL. Joel Paris has been impressive in his three exits with 15 WICKETS 12.80, but they may have waited for more from Corey Rocchcioli whose 14 wickets have reached 44.14.
Who will they be lost?
Marsh (back) and Jhye Richardson (shoulder) are out for the rest of the season, Bancroft (shoulder) is still recovering from the injury suffered in the BBL and Captain Sam Whiteman has a standing infection. Josh Inglis will go from Sri Lanka to the Champions Trophy, while Aaron Hardie is also part of Odi’s team, as well as Cooper Connolly at least for the two games in Sri Lanka. However, there is the possibility that Green can play as a batter in the final round.
5. Queensland
Queensland maintained its season afloat with the victory of 23 races over Victoria in the MCG, but there is still a significant gap to recover the first two.
They had the best tie against NSW in Sydney, where they were not helped by the weather, but were on their backs against Tasmania after they followed him. They have two games at home during February before finishing on the road in March.
Angus Lovell has impressed since he arrived to the side, but until now Ben McDermott has scored more than 400 races. The rapid bowling player Tom Whitney has started with 10 wickts in his first two shield games and a Michael Neser adjustment will be a great impulse.
Who will they be lost?
Marnus Labuschagne is in Sri Lanka and then part of the Champions Trophy group, but, given his hunger for batting, it would not be a surprise if it is available after that, even if Queensland is not in the mixture for the final. In theory, Usman Khawaja will be available after the Sri Lanka tour, although he has handled his workload in recent seasons.
6. Tasmania
Three losses, including the last ball crisis against southern Australia, and only one victory in six leaves Tasmania at the foot of the table the season after reaching the final last summer.
The consecutive defeats against Western Australia hurt them at the beginning of the season, but they played magnificently to overcome NSW in Sydney with only 13 remaining minutes on the last day. In their favor for the last part of the summer, they have three games at Cuatro’s house.
Jake Weatherald is the main scorer with 424 to 42.40, while Tim Ward average 77.60 of three games. Matt Kuhnemann stands as his main Wickt-Tomador, while Riley Meredith’s 15 Wickets have reached 20.00.
Who will they be lost?
Kuhnemann and Beau Webster are part of the test team in Sri Lanka, but both should be available for the Round The Seventh Sésica onwards unless Webster is a late addition to the Champions Trophy. Nathan Ellis has not played a first -class game since 2023, so it is not part of Tasmania’s red ball plans. The BBL Breakout star, Mitch Owen, will miss this round since it is in the SA20.
