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The Sheffield Shield’s most eagerly awaited season in decades begins this Wednesday, bursting out of the blocks with three simultaneous matches taking place at the MCG, Giderol Stadium in Adelaide and in Blacktown.
And with several spots up for grabs in the Australian Test line-up – thanks to a combination of poor results and injury – the ever increasing list of contenders to complete the Test team come the twenty third of November has remained the key topic of discussion.
Yet, before a ball is bowled, how are each of these teams positioned in their hopes to claim domestic cricket’s top prize? This article takes a look at each team’s chances.
South Australia
The Redbacks have endured a few poor seasons at the bottom of the table but have done much recruiting in a bid to turn it all around.
Adam Zampa and Brenton McDonald will boost their spin bowling stocks and former Victorian all-rounder Andrew McDonald will offer valuable experience.
Though their bowling attack in the Ryobi Cup came across as lacking in its ability to threaten opposition batsmen, with the red ball in hand they become a different case all together.
Boasting the leading wicket taker of last year’s shield, Chadd Sayers, as well as young quicks Joe Mennie, Kane Richardson and Peter George, batting line-ups would do well to tread carefully.
Batting efforts will be helped by the returns of Phillip Hughes and Callum Ferguson from international duty, and will rely as always on Victorian-born Michael Klinger to set a solid foundation, with all three holding hopes for Test berths.
This season will mark a key six months in the career of Ferguson, who showed signs that he may be on the way to becoming the player many thought he would already be.
Hampered by injury setbacks several years ago, now would be a wise time for him to play with the consistency equal to the class of his batting.
A dark horse for the final.
Tasmania
It demonstrates just how far Tasmanian cricket has come when, even with the loss of former great Ricky Ponting, the Tigers still possess the best batting line-up of any in Shield cricket.
With the likes of Jordan Silk, Mark Cosgrove, Ed Cowan, Alex Doolan and captain George Bailey, Tasmania have a very handy mixture of class, good temperament and skill, that most other teams would bend over backwards to get.
The Tigers have recruited well over the past half decade or so and created a culture that rewards players and eases the pressure on talented prospects – something that players such as Cosgrove and Cowan in particular have thrived upon.
What their bowling attack lacks in pace they makes up for in accuracy and consistent movement with Test players Jackson Bird, James Faulkner and Ben Hilfenhaus – as well as the perennially overlooked Luke Butterworth – all regularly enjoying the seam friendly conditions of Hobart.
All-rounder Evan Gulbis has also proven to be a real find.
Look out for Alex Fekete who’s pace in the Ryobi Cup shook up plenty of batsmen and could pave the way for a spot in the side while Faulkner and Bird return from international duty and injury respectively.
Vice-captain Tim Paine always solid behind the stumps and seemingly regaining confidence back in his skills with the blade. Will be the team to beat again this year.
Western Australia
The Warriors have had a very lean couple of months, with a combined total of just one win from its T20 Champions League and Ryobi Cup campaigns.
WA are through a tough time of renewal with little balance between the ageing players of experience and the talented yet inexperienced newcomers.
They will benefit greatly, as they did towards the end of last Shield season, from the experience of coach Justin Langer and will need more players to lead from the front.
One such player, Shaun Marsh, is hoping to resurrect his Test career, but perhaps should consider resurrecting his First Class career beforehand, possessing a Shield average of less than twenty runs per innings stemming from his last two years for the WACA.
It will be interesting to see how Ashton Agar is used, and whether he is given the chance to bat in the top six.
Left arm quick Ryan Duffield, with his swing and reasonable pace, could prove to be a stand out with the ball in hand.
Occasional performances will need to become regular occurrences for the Warriors to have any chance this season.
Queensland
Like Tasmania, are a very professional outfit that seem to work very well together and are all the better for it.
Despite the loss of coach Darren Lehmann to the national spot, the Bulls were able to move on comfortably under the watch of Stuart Law and registered a second Ryobi Cup premiership in a row.
They have a deep pace bowling line-up with Ryan Harris, Alistair McDermott, Ben Cutting, Michael Neser and Luke Feldman, all being very capable of ripping opposition batting line-ups apart.
James Hopes, Nathan Hauritz and Chris Hartley all epitomise the efficiency of the Bulls outfit, seemingly always getting the job done, while batsmen Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns are very smooth at the crease.
Burns will be hoping to improve after lesser returns in the previous season and a difficult offseason in England.
The Bulls’ batting depth could be Tested should Khawaja or Burns be given chances at national level.
They will be hoping that young gun Chris Lynn’s recent good form in the Ryobi Cup can find him back in the Shield side sometime in the season and for hard-hitter Luke Pomersbach to return.
Their depth will be Tested as several players look likely to finally be recognised by national selectors, however the Bulls look well on their way to being key players in the race to the final.
Victoria
It is the end of an era for the Bushrangers this season as one of Australian domestic cricket’s most successful captains, Cameron White, is relieved of his duties in an attempt to promote leadership in a country severely lacking it.
Matthew Wade will be the man given the daunting task of filling his shoes and will want to put a difficult winter behind him.
Wade will lead an experienced line-up of shield cricket servants including Dave Hussey, Cameron White, Rob Quiney, John Hastings and Clint McKay – with young batsmen coming through the ranks, in Peter Handscomb and Michael Hill – and could be set for another title run in 2013/14.
Expect Handscomb, freed from working behind the stumps with the return of Wade, to be among the better performers.
Spin duo Jon Holland and Fawad Ahmed will give the Bushrangers every chance of utilising the footmarks on fourth day wickets when given the chance, being two of the better turners of the ball in the country.
The presence of these two may also aid Wade in his attempts to improve his keeping skills, as in previous years Victoria has lacked in this department.
Question marks arise however surrounding the Bushrangers’ pace bowling depth when internationals McKay, Pattinson and Siddle are not available.
Yet the largest question is whether Victoria can establish and retain form for the entire season, having a history of falling apart at the times that matter most.
New South Wales
After a few problematic years linked to the fallout over former NSW legend Simon Katich’s poor treatment, the Blues will be looking to burst out of the blocks and rediscover their former winning culture under coach Trevor Bayliss.
The Blues will benefit from having Test players Steve Smith, Michael Clarke and David Warner back for the first few rounds, but will have to prove themselves with the bat once those players put their baggy greens back on.
After having a strong offseason with Australia A, Nic Maddinson will be looking to mature and have his first strong, consistent Shield season.
24-year old Scott Henry is another who will need to perform in order for the Blues to have any chance late in the season.
Brad Haddin’s understudy Peter Nevill looks set for a season back down the order and behind the stumps, where he enjoyed a good 2011/12 season.
Bowling attack is mostly young and promising, with Gurinder Sandhu in particular being set for a big season.
Steve O’Keefe is a class act who new recruit Nathan Lyon could benefit from spending time with. Look set to be more competitive this year, but batting depth is definitely an issue.
So Roarers, who’s your tip? Who will win? And who, of the young players, will stand up for their state?
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