Big names return to Shield action

Six Australian players have been added to JLT Sheffield Shield squads for what is looming as a bumper round of matches with the first Domain Test against India three weeks away.

NSW have named star fast-bowling trio Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, while Jon Holland (Victoria), Travis Head (South Australia) and Shaun Marsh (Western Australia) are other big inclusions.

Four of the six featured in the two-Test series against Pakistan in the UAE in October, with Cummins and Hazlewood sidelined.

Australia’s four-Test series against India at the Adelaide Oval starts on December 6.

Victoria sits on top of the Shield table with Western Australia and Tasmania occupying second and third position.

South Australia, NSW Blues and Queensland are yet to taste victory from three games this season.

NSW Blues v Queensland at Manuka Oval

Australia’s first-choice Test fast-bowling trio of Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins have been named in a 13-man squad for NSW Shield match against Queensland starting on Friday in Canberra.

They join star off-spinner Nathan Lyon to form a full-strength attack.

Lyon returned for the Blues in their previous Shield match against Tasmania and almost bowled NSW to victory, claiming four wickets on the last day of a rain-marred match at the SCG, which ended in a draw last Thursday.

Sean Abbott and 12th man for the previous match, Harry Conway, have been left out of the squad.

Hazlewood and Cummins have not played first-class cricket since last season because of injury.

The duo, along with Starc, featured in the recent three-match Gillette one-day series against South Africa.

They played just one Shield match together last season, against Western Australia at Hurstville Oval.

Starc made history in that game, claiming a hat-trick to end each innings as the Blues won by 171 runs.

NSW are yet to win a match this season but had the better of South Australia and Tasmania in drawn games that were hindered by poor weather.

Queensland Bulls have named an unchanged squad as they seek to break through for their first win of the season in the four-day format after drawing their past two matches.

Queensland sits in sixth spot after a loss and two draws from the first three matches.

The Bulls have played two Shield matches against NSW at Manuka Oval, in 1998-99 and 2012-13, with batsman Joe Burns and paceman Luke Feldman the only players from that match to return in 2018-19.

However, it has regularly hosted Toyota Futures League 2nd XI games featuring the Queensland Academy of Sport, including as recently as last month.

NSW Blues squad: Peter Nevill (c), Trent Copeland, Pat Cummins, Jack Edwards, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Nick Larkin, Nathan Lyon, Stephen O Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Jason Sangha, Mitchell Starc

Queensland Bulls: Jimmy Peirson (c), Joe Burns, Brendan Doggett, Luke Feldman, Sam Heazlett, Charlie Hemphrey, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Jack Wildermuth

South Australia v Western Australia at Adelaide Oval

West End Redbacks captain Head and fast bowler Daniel Worrall have been included in a 12-man squad for the match, which starts on Friday.

Head returns to lead the side after the Gillette ODI series against South Africa, while Worrall has been included for the first time since an injury to his lower back kept him out of the JLT One-Day Cup.

Chadd Sayers was unavailable for selection after suffering knee soreness, which troubled him during his Test debut in South Africa earlier this year.

Alex Carey and Adam Zampa are also unavailable due to their commitments with the Australian squad for the upcoming Gillette T20 series against South Africa and India from this weekend.

The Redbacks sit in fourth place on the Sheffield Shield standings after three consecutive draws, while second-placed WA travel again after a draw with Queensland at Allan Border Field.

WA have made one change for the fixture, with Shaun Marsh – fresh from a century in Australia’s third ODI against South Africa on Sunday – coming back into the squad at the expense of Aaron Hardie.

Warriors coach Adam Voges said the 35-year-old was a big inclusion.

“It’s great to have someone like Shaun come back into the squad, he’s got a wealth of experience and has been a proven performer for us for many years,” he said.

“Our batting line up is strong, so it’s now up to them to go out there, back themselves and make some runs.

“The Redbacks have drawn their first three games so they’ll be fired up to crack their first win of the season, but if we stick to our game plans with the bat and keep the pressure on with the ball I’m sure we will go well.”

South Australia: Travis Head (c), Tom Cooper, Callum Ferguson, Jake Lehmann, Conor McInerney, Joe Mennie, Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Kane Richardson, Jake Weatherald, Nick Winter, Daniel Worrall

Western Warriors: Mitchell Marsh (c), Ashton Turner, William Bosisto, Hilton Cartwright, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kelly, Shaun Marsh, David Moody, Josh Philippe, Usman Qadir, Jhye Richardson, Jonathon Wells

Tasmania v Victoria at Blundstone Arena

Victoria has made one change to their squad to face Tasmania from Saturday at Blundstone Arena, with Holland returning.

The Australian spinner replaces Fawad Ahmed and is set to play his first Shield match since being recalled to the Australian Test squad that toured South Africa and the UAE.

Holland has been a proven wicket-taker for Victoria in recent summers, most notably in the successful 2016-17 season when the tweaker took 50 scalps including a player-of-the-match performance of 8-152 in the final.

"We’re pleased to welcome Jon back into the squad following his recovery from injury. I know he is keen to get back out onto the park for Victoria and play a key role for us in the matches before the BBL break,” Cricket Victoria Chairman of Selectors Andrew Lynch said.

"We’ve made a positive start to the season and but for Mother Nature could have been looking at another strong result against South Australia last round. Tasmania have proven themselves to be a very competitive unit and a win against them on their home deck would really consolidate our position on top of the table.

Tasmania have named former NSW seamer Gurinder Sandhu for what could be his first Shield outing of the season.

Sandhu was the leading wicket taker for Tasmania at the JLT One-Day Cup this year and has impressed recently in the Futures League competition.

The 25-year-old is named in Tasmania's 12-man squad, with the injured Tom Rogers missing out.

Tasmania: George Bailey (C), Gabe Bell, Jackson Bird, Alex Doolan, Jake Doran, Riley Meredith, Simon Milenko, Tim Paine, Gurinder Sandhu, Jordan Silk, Matthew Wade, Beau Webster

Victoria: Peter Handscomb (C), Scott Boland, Travis Dean, Seb Gotch, Marcus Harris, Jon Holland, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Matt Short, Chris Tremain, Eamonn Vines, Cameron White