Aussies stars return to Shield action

The JLT Sheffield Shield regular season is set for a thrilling conclusion next month with just one victory separating first from last on the ladder after a dramatic round seven.

And the return from international duty of a host of stars will add an intriguing twist to the final three rounds of the regular season.

NSW Blues v Tasmania at the SCG, Feb 24-27

Teenager Jarrod Freeman could become the first cricketer born in the 2000s to play Sheffield Shield cricket after he was named in Tasmania's squad to take on NSW in Sydney.

An off-spinning allrounder from the Mowbray Cricket Club, the home club of Aussie great Ricky Ponting, Freeman has been named in Tassie's 13-man squad.

Freeman and leg-spinner Mac Wright are both in line to make their Shield debuts and a first game for Freeman, who was born on July 15, 2000, would signal the start of a new generation of domestic cricket in Australia.

Hamish Kingston has dropped out of Tasmania's squad.

The Tigers were the biggest winners of round seven, their thumping of WA by an innings and 87 runs earning them 8.5 points and seeing them jump from fifth to second on the ladder.

Having finished the mid-season break in top spot, the Blues have now dropped to third after consecutive defeats. The regular Shield powerhouses have named Test spinner Steve O'Keefe in their squad, as he returns from a leg injury sustained in the KFC Big Bash on New Year's Day. 

O'Keefe, who hasn't played Shield cricket since early December, replaces paceman Mickey Edwards, who has a foot injury. 

NSW BLUES: Peter Nevill (c), Harry Conway, Trent Copeland, Ed Cowan, Daniel Fallins, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Nick Larkin, Nic Maddinson, Steve O'Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Gurinder Sandhu, Will Somerville, Charlie Stobo

TASMANIA: George Bailey (c), Alex Doolan, Jake Doran, Andrew Fekete, Jarrod Freeman, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Simon Milenko, Sam Rainbird, Tom Rogers, Matthew Wade, Beau Webster, Mac Wright

Western Australia v Victoria at the WACA Ground, Feb 24-27

Having taken on Tasmania last week without 14 of their best players due to a combination of injury and international duty, WA are set to be boosted by the returns of allrounders Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar and D'Arcy Short as well as white-ball quick Andrew Tye for their clash with Victoria in Perth.

Jake Carder, Clint Hinchliffe, Matt Hanna, Alex Bevilaqua, Andrew Holder have been left out of the Warriors squad.

The Vics have already confirmed the returns of batting stars Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Finch from international duty, with Finch to captain the side.

Fawad Ahmed and Eamonn Vines come out of the side, while allrounder Dan Christian has also been recalled.

After their fifth draw of the season last week, the Vics joined WA in dropping two positions ahead of what looms as a crucial clash in the west. 

WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Ashton Turner (c), Ashton Agar, Will Bosisto, Hilton Cartwright, Liam Guthrie, Josh Inglis, Matt Kelly, Simon Mackin, Josh Philippe, D'Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Jonathon Wells

VICTORIA: Aaron Finch (c), Scott Boland, Dan Christian, Jackson Coleman, Travis Dean, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Glenn Maxwell, Will Pucovski, Matthew Short, Peter Siddle, Chris Tremain, Cameron White

South Australia v Queensland at Adelaide Oval, Feb 25-28

South Australia will welcome back skipper Travis Head, wicketkeeper Alex Carey, paceman Kane Richardson and leg-spinner Adam Zampa after Australia's T20 tri-series in New Zealand.

The return of two big-name bowlers means rookie quick Nick Winter, who has taken 15 wickets from his first two Shield matches, could be axed given Joe Mennie and Dan Worrall are also fit and available.

Alex Ross, Harry Nielsen and Tom Andrews have been omitted from the squad which defeated New South Wales at the SCG last weekend.

The Bulls won't welcome back any international stars from the T20 series and have named an unchanged squad for the trip to Adelaide.

Queensland, who sit on top of the table, are hopeful former Test batsman Joe Burns will also be available later in the season after suffering a thigh injury during the KFC BBL.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Travis Head (c), Alex Carey, Tom Cooper, John Dalton, Callum Ferguson, Jake Lehmann, Joe Mennie, Kane Richardson, Jake Weatherald, Nick Winter, Daniel Worrall, Adam Zampa 

QUEENSLAND: James Peirson (c), Brendan Doggett, Luke Feldman, Sam Heazlett, Charlie Hemphrey, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Lachlan Pfeffer, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Jack Wildermuth