Top-of-the-table clash with WA promises much as superstars join next-generation talents for SCG return
Cummins, Smith to line up for NSW in Sheffield Shield
Test players Steve Smith, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc will lead a powerhouse NSW Blues side in Monday's Marsh Sheffield Shield clash with Western Australia at the SCG.
But David Warner will skip the final hit-out before the Domain Test Series against Pakistan gets underway, citing family reasons as the father of three young girls prepares for a Test summer on the road.
The mouthwatering clash will see the international superstars line-up with and against some of the brightest rising talent to emerge this season, with rookie batsman Daniel Solway and gun WA allrounder Cameron Green both included.
Green, the 20-year-old compared to England Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff by ex-Aussie quick Ryan Harris in the wake of his match-saving fourth-innings century against Queensland at the Gabba last week, will play as a batsman only.
Green had batted at No.8 last week for WA as he made unbeaten scores of 87 and 121, and also took 1-44 in 16 overs.
Green developed back soreness on day three of the match against the Bulls, said WA's Sports Science Sports Medicine Manager, Nick Jones.
"He underwent investigation that evening that has cleared him of major injury or stress fracture," Jones said in a statement.
"As part of Cam's usual management plan he won't be available to bowl in the Round 4 Sheffield Shield match, however, he is available for selection as a batter.
"We will review his progress over the coming week/s to determine when he can make a return to bowling."
It's a quick turnaround from the Gillette T20 series for NSW's Smith and Starc and WA skipper Ashton Turner and spinner Ashton Agar, who were all part of the side that trounced Pakistan by 10-wickets at the Perth Stadium on Friday night.
Warner endured a torrid Ashes campaign against the right-arm, around-the-wicket lines of Stuart Broad, falling seven-times in 10 innings to his English nemesis, scoring just 95 runs for the series.
But a century in the opening Shield match of the season against Queensland at the Gabba, venue for the first Test, and incredible form in the T20 internationals against Sri Lanka and Pakistan have him well placed to hold his spot in the Test XI.
"I got to keep putting runs on the board, keep practising hard in the nets and keep delivering," Warner told Fox Cricket after Australia beat Pakistan in Perth.
"That's my job, I've got to try and score runs at the top of the order. It's great to come out here against the white ball, I had a good hit out in that Shield game (at the Gabba).
"It's about getting back into the nets, working my backside off and making sure I'm doing the right thing for the team."
Cummins was rested from the long-haul flight to Perth to prepare for this match and the subsequent Test series, while Hazlewood and Lyon featured in the Blues last-start win against South Australia in Adelaide where the seamer took career-best first-class figures of 6-35.
The SCG match will be Cummins' first of the Shield season, while young batsman Solway has retained his spot in the star-studded line-up on the back of his unbeaten century on first-class debut last week.
Solway, batting at No.3, hit 133 not out from the Blues' first innings score of 289 against a rampant Chadd Sayers who took 8-64 at the Adelaide Oval.
Spinner Steve O'Keefe also returns to the squad as batsmen Nick Bertus and Matt Gilkes and fast bowlers Harry Conway and Liam Hatcher were left out.
NSW sit atop the Shield standings with three wins from their first three matches, with a whopping 10 point lead on second-placed Western Australia, their opponents in the fourth round on Monday.
As well as welcoming back T20 players Turner and Agar, leg-spinner Liam O'Connor has been included to provide an extra spin option with the SCG traditionally a wicket that takes turn.
The Warriors will, however, be without leading seamer Jhye Richardson, who remains in Perth with the Australia A side that will play Pakistan in a three-day, day-night tour match.
Cameron Bancroft was a late addition to the Australia A squad after he was called up on Saturday afternoon following Nic Maddinson's withdrawal from that game, citing mental health concerns. The opened the door for a call-up for D'Arcy Short who joins the Shield squad for the trip to Sydney.
Aaron Hardie and Sam Whiteman were omitted from the WA squad.
NSW Blues: Peter Nevill (c), Patrick Cummins, Trent Copeland, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Nick Larkin, Nathan Lyon, Stephen O'Keefe, Steven Smith, Daniel Solway, Mitchell Starc.
Western Australia: Ashton Turner (c), Ashton Agar, Hilton Cartwright, Cameron Green, Liam Guthrie, Josh Inglis, Matt Kelly, Shaun Marsh, David Moody, Liam O'Connor, Josh Philippe, D'Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis.
In other matches, Tasmania welcome back Test skipper Tim Paine for their clash with South Australia in Adelaide after he was rested from the previous match.
Tasmania will miss Riley Meredith who is on Australia A duties while Jake Doran and Charlie Wakim have been omitted with Australia T20 player Ben McDermott coming back into the squad, along with bowlers Lawrence Neil-Smith and Clive Rose.
Bottom-placed South Australia received a boost with the inclusion of seamer Joe Mennie for his first Shield match of the season.
The 30-year-old has recovered from a hamstring injury picked up in a Marsh One-Day Cup game in September.
The Redbacks will miss international players Travis Head and Alex Carey, however, with both on Australia A duties in Perth. Jake Lehmann will captain South Australia.
South Australia: Jake Lehmann (c), Wes Agar, Tom Andrews, Tom Cooper, Callum Ferguson, Henry Hunt, Joe Mennie, Harry Nielsen, Luke Robins, Chadd Sayers, Jake Weatherald, Nick Winter.
Tasmania: George Bailey, Gabe Bell, Jackson Bird, Alex Doolan, Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott, Lawrence Neil-Smith, Tim Paine, Alex Pyecroft, Sam Rainbird, Clive Rose, Matthew Wade (c), Beau Webster.
As previously reported, Victoria could field the youngest Sheffield Shield debutant since Cameron White in 2001, with 17-year-old batsman Jake Fraser-McGurk named in the 12-man squad to take on Queensland at the MCG.
The Vics have been forced into making significant changes to their batting line-up with Marcus Harris, Will Pucovski and Nic Maddinson all unavailable due to Australia A selection, while Travis Dean and Andrew Fekete have been omitted.
Matthew Renshaw returns for the Bulls after missing the last match as he was laid low with a particularly nasty bout of gastro that forced a brief stint in hospital to go on a drip to replace lost fluids.
The Bulls will miss Usman Khawaja – with wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson captaining the side in his absence – Joe Burns and Michael Neser who are all in Perth with Australia A.
Bulls young gun Bryce Street continues to impress after two matches and will play a third Shield game against the defending champions in Melbourne.
Victoria: Peter Handscomb (c), Scott Boland, Aaron Finch, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Jon Holland, James Pattinson, Matt Short, Peter Siddle, Will Sutherland, Chris Tremain, Eamonn Vines
Queensland: Xavier Bartlett, Blake Edwards, Cameron Gannon, Charlie Hemphrey, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, James Peirson (c), Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Bryce Street, Mitch Swepson, Jack Wildermuth.
Marsh Sheffield Shield round four
All games will be streamed live on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app, including Apple TV
November 11-14: NSW v WA, SCG, 10.30am AEDT; SA v Tasmania, Adelaide Oval, 11am AEDT
November 12-15: Victoria v Queensland, MCG, 10.30am AEDT