Big names return, Blues wait on Nevill for Shield final

Skipper Peter Nevill could make a surprise return to the NSW side for this week's Marsh Sheffield Shield final as he and his partner await the arrival of their second child.

Nevill had indicated last month that he would miss the remainder of the season to be with his wife, Sammy, for the birth, but he was today named in a 15-man Blues squad for the final against Queensland in Brisbane.

The gloveman's participation in the decider remains dependent on the safe arrival of his baby this week, and the 35-year-old has already said he'd be comfortable with skipping the match if it means he can enjoy a memorable moment with his family.

"The birth of your kids are the most significant moments of your life," Nevill told cricket.com.au last month.

"It's very important for me to be there when Sammy is giving birth.

"I'd love to be playing in another Shield final but I'm also at peace with it not being so if it means I'm there for the birth of my second child."

If Nevill was to miss out, Kurtis Patterson would again captain the side while Baxter Holt would be expected to take the gloves and bat in the middle order.

Young leggie Tanveer Sangha has also been named and would make his first-class debut if picked in the XI.

However, the spinner would likely need an injury to win a spot given the Blues have named a Test-quality bowling attack featuring Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Sean Abbott, Trent Copeland and Harry Conway.

Queensland, meanwhile, have welcomed back key allrounder Jack Wildermuth, but star paceman Mark Steketee has been ruled out due to injury.

Wildermuth missed last week's game against the Blues to be at the birth of his first child, but he's returned to Queensland’s 12-man squad for the final, replacing James Bazley.

But the Bulls will once again be without Steketee, who played for Australia A this summer and was part of the Test squad for the proposed tour of South Africa, due to a side strain.

Wildermuth has enjoyed a strong season in all formats and has taken 14 Shield wickets at an average of 23.85, while he also scored a first-class hundred for Australia A against India last December.

A total of 10 players with Test experience have been named for their respective states; Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Joe Burns and Matthew Renshaw for Queensland, and Starc, Hazlewood, Lyon, Nevill, Copeland and Kurtis Patterson for NSW.

A further seven players have played white-ball cricket for Australia or been part of a senior national squad in the past; Wildermuth, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Billy Stanlake and Mitchell Swepson for the Bulls as well as Abbott and Sangha for the Blues.

The five-day decider begins at Allan Border Field in Brisbane on Thursday, with the Bulls chasing their ninth Shield title and their first since they beat Tasmania in the 2018 final, which was also at AB Field.

If the match is a draw, the winner will be determined on the same bonus points system that applies during the regular season. The system allows for 0.01 bonus points for each run scored above 200 in the first 100 overs of each innings, and 0.1 for each wicket within those 100 overs. 

2021 Marsh Sheffield Shield Final

Queensland v NSW Blues at Allan Border Field in Brisbane, April 15-19. Play begins each morning at 9.30am AEST

Queensland squad: Usman Khawaja (c), Xavier Bartlett, Joe Burns, Brendan Doggett, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Bryce Street, Mitchell Swepson, Jack Wildermuth

NSW squad: Sean Abbott, Harry Conway, Trent Copeland, Jack Edwards, Matthew Gilkes, Josh Hazlewood, Lachlan Hearne, Baxter Holt, Daniel Hughes, Nathan Lyon, Peter Nevill, Kurtis Patterson, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, Mitchell Starc

The 2021 Marsh Sheffield Shield Final will be broadcast LIVE in Australia on Fox Cricket & Kayo Sports. ABC Grandstand's live radio coverage will also be available on cricket.com.au & the CA Live app