Test aspirants out to impress in Shield

Australia’s Test aspirants have one final opportunity to push their case for selection this week in the Sheffield Shield, ahead of the first Commonwealth Bank Test against South Africa at the WACA Ground next week.

Beginning on Tuesday, the first round of the first-class season will feature three day-night matches in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Perth, with the squad for the opening Test against the Proteas to be named on day four (Friday).

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Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns will be in action for the myFoot Dr Queensland Bulls at the Gabba against a star-studded NSW line-up featuring Test stars Steve Smith, David Warner, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Peter Nevill, while Victorian paceman Peter Siddle's bid to win back his spot in the Test XI after a lengthy injury lay-off will take place at the MCG against Tasmania.

Adam Voges and Mitchell Marsh - alongside Test hopeful Cameron Bancroft - are set to line up for the Alcohol.Think Western Warriors at the WACA against South Australia. 

All matches will be streamed live on cricket.com.au and the Cricket Australia LIVE App. 

Sheffield Shield Round One

Victoria v Tasmania, MCG, 2pm local

Queensland v NSW, Gabba, 1pm local

Western Australia v South Australia, WACA, 2pm local

Squads

NSW

Australia paceman Mitchell Starc will make his return from a serious leg injury for the day-night clash at the Gabba.

Starc will play a "limited role" in the game ahead of the first Commonwealth Bank Test against South Africa, which begins at the WACA Ground in Perth on November 3.

But the Blues will be without batsmen Nic Maddinson and Daniel Hughes with the pair both ruled out due to concussion.

Maddinson was struck on the helmet while batting in Friday night's Matador BBQs One-Day Cup elimination final against Victoria at Drummoyne Oval, but was able to continue his match-sealing innings of 86 after being assessed on the ground by NSW's medical team.

The left-hander passed a concussion test on Saturday and was declared fit to play in Sunday's final against Queensland at North Sydney Oval, but began to feel unwell during the match and failed a subsequent concussion Test.

Hughes retired hurt after being struck by a Peter Siddle delivery on Friday and was subsequently diagnosed with concussion, which ruled him out of the rest of the match.

NSW squad: Steve Smith (c), Doug Bollinger, Ryan Carters, Trent Copeland, Ed Cowan, Ryan Gibson, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Nathan Lyon, Peter Nevill, Kurtis Patterson, Mitchell Starc, David Warner.

Queensland 

Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns will be looking to cement returns to the Australia Test XI when they take on NSW at the Gabba.

Both Khawaja and Burns enjoyed prolific home summers last season but the top-order duo struggled to make an impact on the subcontinent and were dumped for the third and final Test after scoring 89 runs between them in the first two matches against Sri Lanka.

The squad also features Matador Cup player of the tournament Marnus Lanbuschagne.

Queensland squad: Usman Khawaja (c), Joe Burns, Ben Cutting, Luke Feldman, Jason Floros, Peter Forrest, Peter George, Chris Hartley, Charlie Hemphrey, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Mitch Swepson

Victoria

The Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers will kick off their bid for three consecutive Shield titles at the MCG.

The in-form Cameron White joins Aaron Finch and Travis Dean in the squad with new Victorian signing Marcus Harris also in line to make his first-class debut for the Bushrangers.

Peter Siddle will play for the Bushrangers as he continues his injury comeback, but fellow fast bowler James Pattinson is still recovering from injury and remains unavailable for selection.

Victoria squad: Matthew Wade (c), Scott Boland, Travis Dean, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Jon Holland, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Siddle, Marcus Stoinis, Chris Tremain, Cameron White

Tasmania 

Tasmania skipper George Bailey returns for the Tigers, having missed the Matador Cup campaign due to Australia's ODI Tour of South Africa.

Quick Jackson Bird, who will be pressing his case to fill the role of third seamer in Australia's Test XI in Perth, has been named his deputy. 

The team contains experienced campaigners with the likes of Bailey, Alex Doolan, Ben Dunk and James Faulkner, who returns from injury, alongside fresh faces with Caleb Jewell, Beau Webster and Cameron Stevenson. 

Wicketkeeper Tim Paine has been left out of the Shield squad, scoring a Matador Cup century against the CA XI earlier this month.

Tasmania squad: George Bailey (c), Jackson Bird (vc), Cameron Boyce, Alex Doolan, Jake Doran (wk), Ben Dunk, James Faulkner, Andrew Fekete, Caleb Jewell, Simon Milenko, Cameron Stevenson, Beau Webster.

Western Australia 

Hamstrung batsman Shaun Marsh has been included in Western Australia's squad for their Sheffield Shield opener at the WACA.

Marsh, who tweaked his hamstring earlier this month during the domestic one-day competition, is racing the clock to prove his fitness before Australia's three-Test series against South Africa - which starts next Thursday.

The left-hander is one of many candidates to partner David Warner at the top of Australia's batting order, with Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja and Cameron Bancroft also in the mix.

WA squad: Adam Voges (c), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Hilton Cartwright, Ryan Duffield, Josh Inglis, Michael Klinger, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, David Moody, Nathan Rimmington, Jonathan Wells, Sam Whiteman

South Australia

South Australia skipper Travis Head returns from an 'off-season' as part of Australia's ODI team, and says his side is excited about a season opener with the pink ball.

“The pink ball’s a new experience again but I enjoy the WACA and we have a lot of guys in form,” Head said.

“Jake Weatherald made a lot of runs throughout the Matador, Ferg’s (Callum Ferguson) in good touch and Lehmann’s had four-day Yorkshire experience so that’s exciting for us

“There’s always pressure no matter the form of cricket and I just want to make sure that I’m batting as long as possible.”

Chadd Sayers bolsters the pace attack, linking up with Matador Cup quicks Kane Richardson and Dan Worrall, the latter having also debuted for Australia in South Africa recently. 

SA squad: Travis Head (c), Alex Carey, Tom Cooper, Callum Ferguson, Jake Lehmann, Joe Mennie, Kane Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Kelvin Smith, Jake Weatherald, Daniel Worrall, Adam Zampa