BRISBANE, Australia — Defending champion New South Wales won the toss on Thursday and decided to bat first in the domestic first-class Sheffield Shield cricket final against Queensland.
The Blues’ lineup includes regular test players Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and off-spinner Nathan Lyon, the season’s leading Shield wicket-taker with 39 dismissals.
Queensland has included Jack Wildermuth in the five-day match at Allan Border Field at the expense of quick James Bazley, after the allrounder missed the last round due to the birth of his first child.
Indian Premier League duties mean New South Wales will be without Australian test players Steve Smith, Pat Cummins, David Warner and Moises Henriques.
Queensland earned hosting duties by leading the Shield table 1.66 points clear of New South Wales.
The Bulls’ top order features captain Usman Khawaja and fellow ex-Australian batsmen Joe Burns and Matthew Renshaw, as well as current world No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne.
Queensland is undefeated in its last three matches at Allan Border Field and are looking to clinch a ninth Sheffield Shield and and first since 2017-18.
New South Wales is looking for its first back-to-back Shield titles since 1993-94 and a record 48th national title.
Lineups:
Queensland: Bryce Street, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja (captain), Matthew Renshaw, Jimmy Peirson, Jack Wildermuth, Michael Neser, Xavier Bartlett, Mitch Swepson, Brendan Doggett.
New South Wales: Daniel Hughes, Matthew Gilkes, Kurtis Patterson (captain), Jason Sangha, Jack Edwards, Sean Abbott, Baxter Holt, Mitchell Starc, Trent Copeland, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
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