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Sheffield Shield preview: Queensland adopt spin focus

With four Test batsman in their top order, the Bulls are looking for their bowlers to adapt to the early-season conditions in Adelaide

The Queensland Bulls will head to Adelaide with a confident mind-set owing largely to a star-studded batting order and armed with the knowledge that they were right in the mix for a Sheffield Shield final berth in the 2019-20 summer.

With four of their top five batsmen boasting Test experience and the other – Bryce Street – quietly emerging as an accomplished first-class opener, they appear well set to take on some quality bowling attacks in the coming weeks.

However, assistant coach James Hopes tells cricket.com.au that a key focus across the past month or so has been answering one simple question.

"How do we get 20 wickets? Well, we're going to have to use our spinners, and that's something different for a Queensland team," says Hopes, who is anticipating flat, dry pitches in Adelaide, which will host the opening four rounds of the Shield season.

"We're taking two spinners in Mitch Swepson and Matt Kuhnemann … and if we do have some spinning conditions we've got Marnus (Labuschagne) and Matt Renshaw there who can both bowl handy overs of spin.

"So we've got our bases covered and we've got good variety, but it's going to be a big challenge for our quicks when we're talking about taking 20 wickets. I think it's a good opportunity for them to show they're not one-dimensional, and that they don't only take wickets on green tops at the Gabba or seaming wickets around the country – that they can get it done on flat surfaces.

"Michael Neser should hopefully be right for the first game, and he and Mark Steketee have been around a bit. The loss of Cameron Gannon (to WA) wasn't ideal but we've got some good young quicks coming through and they'll get an opportunity in Adelaide.

"So we've got all our bases covered, but what conditions we're going to get, and what's in front of us is a bit of an unknown."

Squad: Usman Khawaja (c), Xavier Bartlett, Joe Burns, Blake Edwards, Benji Floros, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Lachy Pfeffer, Matt Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Bryce Street, Mitchell Swepson, Jack Wildermuth

Possible best XI: Joe Burns, Bryce Street, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja (c), Matt Renshaw, Jack Wildermuth, Jimmy Peirson (wk), Mark Steketee, Michael Neser, Mitchell Swepson, Xavier Bartlett

Last year's Shield result: Third

Fixtures:

Oct 10-13 v Tasmania, Park 25

Oct 19-22 v Western Australia, Park 25

Oct 30 - Nov 2 v South Australia, Gliderol Stadium

Nov 8-11 v Victoria, Karen Rolton Oval

The inside word with James Hopes

The pre-season

"Someone said the other day we've been going for 21 weeks, and it does feel like we've been going for a long time. After those first six or seven weeks of individual sessions, things have been relatively normal. With the Australian and New Zealand women's teams at AB Field recently, we've done a lot of centre-wicket training at club grounds (including Redlands and Sunshine Coast), just because they don't have turf practice facilities. There's been some long days out in the middle.

"Our out-cricket has also been a focus for us because our catching (last season) was horrible. We've had an extended period to work on that, and I think that's the unique situation this pandemic has given some cricket players – they've had a really extended break to actually work on some stuff.

"Through that time some guys have shown big improvements. Jimmy Peirson is one of those – he's improved a lot in the off-season (with the bat)."

Absences

"Billy Stanlake is in India, but Brendan Doggett is back bowling properly (after a back injury) now so he's a slim chance of featuring in games three and four. He bowled so fast in the nets yesterday, and he'll play first grade next weekend. He's someone who can bowl well on the flat wickets, with reverse swing and some real pace on the ball."

Young gun

"I'm excited to watch Xavier (Bartlett) go about his stuff. From being a young kid coming through the system four years ago when I was still playing, you can see the shape of his body has changed and he's really filling out. He's six-one, six-two (185-187cm), he's put on some pace, he's got unbelievable control with the cricket ball in terms of his seam position. He's going to be challenged on wickets that aren't going to offer him a great deal, but I think he's got the skill-set to be very, very successful and I'm excited to see him get the bit between the teeth, get some hard days' work in and let everyone see how skilful he is. He's worked his butt of this off-season, and he's expecting himself to take the next step as well, which is good. While nothing is set in stone, he's set himself up to do well."

Key player/s

"I think all teams settle down if their top order starts OK, so if they can have a calm start where they're chipping in with runs or getting scores in those first couple of games, that'll hold us in good stead. If Joe (Burns) and 'Streety' (Bryce Street), and we've got Marnus (Labuschagne) at three, if they can get us off to a calm start, we know we've got two other Test players coming in at four and five in Uz (Khawaja) and Matt Renshaw.

Steketee bowls Bulls to victory with nine scalps

"I'm excited by Mark Steketee, who I think is probably our best flat-wicket bowler. He's got good control, he bowls reverse swing and he can really crank up the pace when he has to. He's also our only main pace bowler who's 100 per cent fully fit.”

Biggest challenge in the hub

“I think it's going to be the guys not playing. The guys playing, if the wickets are dry and flat – which I assume most of them will be – our quicks are going to be spending a lot of time just recovering between games. So in our group of 15, it'll be the guys who are sitting on the sidelines, who we've taken out of club cricket and aren't playing any cricket for four, five weeks – that'll be an interesting one for them. The guys playing will be fine; they'll get into the swing of it and most of them have partners or family coming down at some stage. And I think our captain (Khawaja) has been really good, just saying that while it seems we're going to be away for a long time, if you want to play for Australia, you've got to face the fact you're going to be away from home a fair bit. And he's right. Our guys see it as an opportunity to play some good cricket for a period of time, come home for a couple of weeks, and then get stuck into the Big Bash."

Most dangerous team (that isn't your own)

"Take your pick. We've been going through the other teams and gee, there's some good teams floating around. You always like New South Wales because they've got depth and I assume 'Gaz' (Nathan Lyon) will be there for all four games – in spinning conditions, he's going to be a handful. Mitchell Starc as well will be looking to get some good overs in. Victoria have got a really good batting line-up. Their bowling has been decimated a little bit with (Chris) Tremain and (Peter) Siddle (leaving) but they've picked some young quicks who look to have something about them."