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The Sheffield Shield wrap: Revisiting my 2017-18 predictions

Jake Lehmann of South Australia. (AAP Image/George Salpigtidis)
Roar Guru
30th April, 2018
18

In August last year, I penned a preview of the upcoming 2017-18 Sheffield Shield season, including some bold, if not entirely wise, predictions.

In reviewing the season past, I thought I would see how my predictions fared.

Most runs
My prediction for the highest run scorer was young South Australian Jake Lehmann.

I was not even kind of close with this one, as Lehmann came in at 21 on runs scored, with just 536 runs from ten matches, at an average of 28.21.

The most runs this season actually goes to resurgent Queenslander Matt Renshaw, who scored 804 runs at 44.66, including three centuries.

Most wickets
My tip for most wickets was tall West Australian quick Jason Behrendorff.

I was pretty far off the mark here too, but more thanks to ‘The Dorff’s’ dodgy back than anything else. Plagued by injury to only play two matches, this one was hardly fair.

The most wickets this season goes to Victorian Chris Tremain, who continued his tremendous run of form with 51 wickets at 21.07. Tremain has been outstanding over the last few years and will be looking for higher honours in 2018.

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Best wicketkeeper
I tipped Alex Carey to be the best ‘keeper in 2017-18. Despite only taking 23 dismissals (as opposed to Queenslander Jimmy Peirson’s 39), Carey was good with the gloves, while also scoring 455 runs at 35 in eight matches, including a very good 139.

His performance was good enough to get him called up to both the Australian T20 and ODI teams, and because of that I’m going to give myself half a point.

However, I only give myself half a point because we must mention one Matthew Wade. After being kicked out of the Test fraternity for Tasmanian teammate Tim Paine, Wade had an excellent year, taking 37 dismissals and scoring 654 runs at 43.60.

Matthew Wade keeping

Matthew Wade (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

Surprise player
In this slightly subjective category, I tipped Joe Burns for a return to form, and I was spot on.

Somewhat forgotten after his fall from Test cricket, Burns wound back the clock this year to have the highest average of any player not participating in Tests. Coming seventh on the runs tally, Burns scored 725 runs at 55.76, with two centuries, including a brilliant 202*.

His form was so good that in the fallout of ‘sandpapergate’, he earned a well-deserved recall for the third Test in South Africa.

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Surprise team
For my surprise team, I had Tasmania, and I’m going to take the points here too.

Coming dead last in the previous two years (and second last before that), the Tasmanians turned it around this year with a new coach and some new players.

While not managing to take the Shield, they won five of their ten matches, and drew anther two, making it to second on the ladder and into the final. An excellent result for the Island State.

Last place
I picked Queensland, and as fellow Roarer Matthew Pearce was so quick to remind me, I literally could not have been more wrong.

Despite losing some greats to retirement, and their best player to Tests, the Bulls were brilliant, only losing one match during the regular season, and pulling off a nine-wicket victory in the final to win their first Shield since 2011-12.

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First place
And finally, on the back of a solid couple of years and a settled team, I picked South Australia to win. They came last. So not a great pick from me there.

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Winning only two matches, and drawing only another two, the Redbacks had a year to forget, despite having two of the top-five run-scorers for the season (Callum Ferguson and Jake Weatherald).

So out of seven predictions, I give myself the grand total of two-and-a-half points.

I hope you other Roarers out there did a little better with your predictions for the 2017-18 Sheffield Shield.

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