The latest team news ahead of the resumption of the four-day competition at the MCG, SCG and WACA Ground
SCG, February 5-8
NSW squad: Jack Edwards (c), Sam Konstas, Will Salzmann, Kurtis Patterson, Lachlan Shaw, Josh Philippe, Joel Davies, Charlie Stobo, Tanveer Sangha, Ryan Hadley, Liam Hatcher, Peter Francis
Peter Francis, a 27-year-old lawyer who has played domestic cricket in Ireland, has been named in a 12-man squad for the Blues, who are missing a host of international stars.
Sean Abbott is the latest omission after being called up as a travelling reserve for Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign. Nathan Lyon is injured, while Mitchell Starc and Steve Smith are not expected to feature during the back part of the summer.
It has opened the door for Francis, a seam-bowling allrounder who took a club record 61 wickets for St George in Premier Cricket last summer. He has also played for Leinster in Ireland’s domestic competition.
His St George teammate Kurtis Patterson will play his 100th Shield match for NSW, the sixth man to do so after Greg Matthews, Phil Emery, Moises Henriques, Geoff Lawson and Peter Nevill.
“I grew up idolising this cricket team, and to play 100 games is something I never thought of, or made a goal, but really proud to be able to tick it off this week,” Patterson said on Wednesday.
NSW’s home clash at the SCG against the reigning Shield champions will be their first since Cricket NSW announced Greg Shipperd would be coaching his final season.
“It’s been a bit of a tough week for all of us,” said Patterson.
“It’s another curveball we’ve got to deal with. Really feeling for Greg and to his credit he’s taken it like the legend that he is.
“I certainly think it is something that will bring the group together … I think out of respect for him we all need to knuckle down and take it the same (way) and get on with our jobs.”
SA squad: Jordan Buckingham, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Mackenzie Harvey, Henry Hunt, Hanno Jacobs, Jake Lehmann, Nathan McAndrew, Nathan McSweeney, Lloyd Pope, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott
The defending champions meanwhile welcome back Ashes star Alex Carey, while recent Test debutant Brendan Doggett will lead the attack on their trip to Sydney.
The absence of Ben Manenti will be felt with the off-spinner away playing for Italy in the T20 World Cup, but Nathan McSweeney adds more international experience for third-placed SA.
MCG, February 5-8
Victoria squad: Peter Handscomb (c), Dylan Brasher, Xavier Crone, Harry Dixon, Sam Elliott, Sam Harper, Campbell Kellaway, Blake MacDonald, David Moody, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Mitch Perry, Tom Rogers
Footscray batter Dylan Brasher looks set to make his first-class debut while Tom Rogers is in line for a recall for ladder leaders Victoria.
Peter Handscomb will captain the side with Will Sutherland “managed” after the BBL. Todd Murphy and Fergus O’Neill will lead the bowling attack as Scott Boland remains on ice after playing all five Ashes Tests.
Vics coach Chris Rogers said Brasher, this season’s leading Premier Cricket run scorer, has undergone a technical overhaul in recent times.
“You can expect a fighter, a guy who’s taken the steps and earned his right to be in the squad,” said Rogers.
“There’s been a lot of very intimate and detailed work that’s gone into his game, and I’ve never once heard him complain and be anything other than open-minded.
“He’s got some real nuances to his game that had to be worked through. I think he’s more mature and ready now to not just play one game, but to try and have a career.”
Queensland squad: Marnus Labuschagne (c), Hugo Burdon, Jack Clayton, Lachlan Hearne, Hayden Kerr, Usman Khawaja, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Jem Ryan, Tom Straker, Mitchell Swepson, Hugh Weibgen, Tom Whitney
The Bulls have been boosted by the return of recently retired Test bat Usman Khawaja, who is “boots in” on trying to win another Sheffield Shield title for Queensland.
Marnus Labuschagne and Michael Neser are the other big names in the Bulls squad coming up against competition standouts Victoria in the MCG’s first red-ball match since the two-day Boxing Day Test.
Khawaja called time on international cricket last month but will play out the summer for Queensland, with teammates expecting it to be his last.
“It’s fantastic that he’s boots in to try and win a Shield again,” Peirson said of Khawaja. “It’s fantastic to keep someone like him around our group and hopefully push for a Shield final.
“He’s a very passionate Queenslander and he wouldn’t come back and do it unless he really had that drive to be part of what we’re trying to achieve as a state group.
“It speaks follows to his character to come back after a really nice Test career and a fantastic summer winning the Ashes to come back to try and win a Shield for Queensland.
“Hopefully we can send him off in a good fashion … I’m assuming there! I’d imagine if he’s finishing his Test career, I’m assuming that he’ll be finishing his first-class career.”
Matthew Renshaw’s last-minute T20 World Cup call-up robs Queensland of another important run scorer, while Xavier Bartlett is also away on international duties.
Labuschagne’s men could be down another key batter after Jack Clayton suffered a recurrence of a knee injury during Tuesday’s One-Day Cup defeat to the Vics. Peirson indicated he would be sent for scans.
Paceman Jem Ryan returns from back surgery, while Hayden Kerr is also back with Gurinder Sandhu the most notable exclusion.
WACA Ground, February 5-8
WA squad: to be named
Tasmania squad: to be named
