Several Australia A representatives are back in the fold for round two of the Sheffield Shield season with Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey also set to make his first appearance for South Australia this summer.
The reigning champions host Queensland at Adelaide Oval in a rematch of last year’s decider, while we’re in for an early top-of-the-table clash as first-placed Victoria take on second-placed NSW at Junction Oval.
Victoria v NSW, Junction Oval, October 15-18
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Victoria squad: Will Sutherland (c), Scott Boland, Harry Dixon, Marcus Harris, Sam Harper, Peter Handscomb, Campbell Kellaway, Blake Macdonald, David Moody, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Oliver Peake, Mitch Perry
Ins: Will Sutherland, Harry Dixon, Todd Murphy
Outs: Cam McClure, Tom Rogers, Doug Warren
Victoria captain Will Sutherland returns from Australia A duties for round two, as does off-spinner Todd Murphy and young batting gun Harry Dixon. Along with opener Campbell Kellaway (22) and Oliver Peake (19), who hit a match-winning 70 not out in the second innings against SA last round, Dixon’s (20) inclusion means half of Victoria’s top six to face NSW could be younger than 23 years of age.
Murphy’s return means young left-armer Doug Warren misses out despite taking his maiden five-wicket haul in last week’s win in Adelaide. Fast bowler Cam McClure and batter Tom Rogers also make way for round two.
“It was really pleasing to start the season the way we did in Adelaide. The fight our players showed in the second innings – especially Oliver Peake and Fergus O’Neill – was exactly the sort of resilience we’ve been working towards,” coach Chris Rogers said. “To welcome back Will, Harry and Todd from Australia A duty gives us great balance and depth. NSW are always a tough side, so we know we’ll have to be at our best again.”
NSW squad: Jack Edwards (c), Sean Abbott, Ollie Davies, Matt Gilkes, Ryan Hadley, Liam Hatcher, Sam Konstas, Nathan Lyon, Blake Nikitaras, Kurtis Patterson, Will Salzmann, Tanveer Sangha, Charlie Stobo
Ins: Jack Edwards, Sean Abbott, Tanveer Sangha
Outs: Chris Green, Ryan Hicks, Ross Pawson
Captain Jack Edwards is another back from the ‘A’ series in India and paceman Sean Abbott returns after missing round one as part of Australia’s T20 squad in New Zealand. Abbott has taken five-wicket hauls in two of his past three Shield matches and will be out to impress with Ashes spots on the line.
Josh Philippe will miss another Shield match after being called up to Australia’s ODI squad with Josh Inglis continuing to recover from a calf strain. Fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood and Ben Dwarshuis are also on international duties, while Steve Smith could make his first appearance of the summer in the next round as he ramps up his preparation to face England.
Tanveer Sangha also returns from representing Australia A, with off-spinning allrounder Chris Green, Ryan Hicks and Ross Pawson dropping out of the 13-man squad.
Tasmania v Western Australia, Bellerive Oval, October 15-18
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Tasmania squad: Jordan Silk (c), Gabe Bell, Jackson Bird, Nikhil Chaudhary, Jake Doran, Kieran Elliott, Bradley Hope, Caleb Jewell, Riley Meredith, Nivethan Radhakrishnan, Tim Ward, Jake Weatherald
Outs: Beau Webster (ankle)
Test allrounder Beau Webster will miss a second straight Shield match after he was a late out on the morning of their round one draw with Queensland due to an ankle complaint. Mitch Owen remains on national duties with the ODI squad heading to Perth, as does left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann who has replaced Adam Zampa as he misses the first ODI on Sunday for family reasons. Tasmania said in a statement Webster’s fitness would be closely monitored in the lead up to their round three clash with Victoria in Melbourne beginning October 28.
Western Australia squad: Sam Whiteman (c), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Hilton Cartwright, Joel Curtis, Albert Esterhuysen, Sam Fanning, Aaron Hardie, Cameron Gannon, Jayden Goodwin, Liam Haskett, Matt Kelly, Corey Rocchiccioli
Ins: Albert Esterhuysen, Sam Fanning, Aaron Hardie
Outs: Cameron Green (ODI squad), Joel Paris (hamstring)
Aaron Hardie has recovered from a pre-season shoulder injury and is back for round two, but star allrounder Cameron Green misses the clash with Tasmania with Australia taking in India in the first ODI in Perth on Sunday.
Mitch Marsh and Cooper Connolly are also part of that ODI squad to face India, and WA will also be without left-armer Joel Paris who sustained a hamstring injury in the second innings of their round one loss to NSW.
Emerging young quick Albert Esterhuysen has been included for the trip to Hobart and is in the mix to make his first-class debut. The right-armer has impressed in his two One-Day Cup matches this season, claiming five wickets including the prized scalp of Sam Konstas against NSW last Thursday.
Sam Fanning also returns to WA’s 13-man squad with Hardie in line to play his first Shield match since October last year. He took two wickets and made 37 in last week’s one-dayer in his first match of the season.
South Australia v Queensland, Adelaide Oval, October 15-18
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SA squad: Nathan McSweeney (c), Wes Agar, Jordan Buckingham, Alex Carey, Henry Hunt, Hanno Jacobs, Jake Lehmann, Nathan McAndrew, Conor McInerney, Lloyd Pope, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott
Ins: Alex Carey, Nathan McAndrew, Liam Scott
Outs: Daniel Drew, Harry Manenti, Harry Nielsen
Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey will line up for South Australia in round two despite being named in the ODI squad. Carey missed the opening round clash with Victoria after being called up to Australia’s T20 side in New Zealand following an injury to Josh Inglis. Carey will use the match to ramp up his preparation for the Ashes before linking up with the Australian squad ahead of the second ODI in Adelaide next Thursday.
Star quick Nathan McAndrew has recovered from a back complaint that saw him miss round one and took five wickets against Victoria on his return to SA’s one-day team last Thursday. Allrounder Liam Scott is also back in the mix after representing both Australia A’s red- and white-ball sides in India.
Carey’s return means wicketkeeper Harry Nielsen misses out in round two, with Daniel Drew and Harry Manenti also omitted. Brendan Doggett (hamstring) and Ben Manenti (ankle) remain sidelined with injury but are expected to be back in round three of the Shield season.
Queensland squad: Marnus Labuschagne (c), Jack Clayton, Benji Floros, Lachlan Hearne, Usman Khawaja, Angus Lovell, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Jack Sinfield, Tom Straker, Mitchell Swepson, Hugh Weibgen, Jack Wildermuth
Ins: Lachlan Hearne, Angus Lovell, Jack Sinfield, Tom Straker
Outs: Matthew Renshaw (ODI squad), Gurinder Sandhu (hamstring), Hugo Burdon, Hayden Kerr
The Bulls will need a new partner for Usman Khawaja for the Shield final rematch after left-hander Matthew Renshaw was called up to Australia’s ODI squad for the three-match series against India. Angus Lovell, who opened when Renshaw missed last season’s Sheffield Shield final, comes into the squad alongside batter Lachlan Hearne, fast bowler Tom Straker and spinner Jack Sinfield.
Hearne and Straker missed Queensland’s season-opening draw with Tasmania while with the Australia A one-day squad in India, while off-spinner Sinfield, who is looking to add to his three first-class caps, took eight wickets in a Second XI match against South Australia last month.
Xavier Bartlett, who played his first match of the season for the Bulls in last Thursday’s one-dayer, has also re-joined the Australian squad ahead of the first ODI in Perth on Sunday and Gurinder Sandhu has been ruled out with hamstring tightness.
