2020–21 Sheffield Shield season
| Dates | 10 October 2020 – 19 April 2021 |
|---|---|
| Administrator(s) | Cricket Australia |
| Cricket format | First-class |
| Tournament format(s) | Double round-robin and final |
| Participants | 6 |
| Matches | 28 |
The 2020–21 Sheffield Shield season is the 119th season of the Sheffield Shield, the domestic first-class cricket competition in Australia.[1] On 26 June 2020, Cricket Australia confirmed all the squads for the 2020–21 domestic cricket season.[2][3] Cricket Australia also confirmed that the tournament would use the Kookaburra ball for all the matches,[4] after using the Duke ball since the 2016–17 season.[5] New South Wales are the defending champions.[6][7]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first four rounds of the season are being played at four venues in Adelaide.[8] With further restrictions due to the pandemic in Australia, the first round match between New South Wales and Victoria was scheduled to take place from 17 November 2020,[9] because of extra measures for people travelling into South Australia from Victoria.[10] However, on 12 October 2020, Victoria's first two matches were postponed due to the extra quarantine restrictions.[11]
Round three of the tournament saw a new record partnership set in a Sheffield Shield match. Marcus Harris and Will Pucovski of Victoria scored 486 runs for the first wicket, in the match against South Australia.[12] The previous record was held by Mark and Steve Waugh, making 464 for New South Wales against Western Australia in the 1990–91 tournament.[13]
On 16 December 2020, Cricket Australia confirmed the remaining schedule of the tournament.[14] The tournament was shortened by one round, with the final scheduled to start on 15 April 2021.[15]
Points table
| Team[16] | Pld | W | L | D | NR | BP | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Queensland
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6.48 | 18.48 |
 New South Wales
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.99 | 16.99 |
 Western Australia
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5.36 | 14.36 |
 Tasmania
|
4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6.12 | 8.12 |
 Victoria
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4.68 | 6.68 |
 South Australia
|
4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2.24 | 4.24 |
Round-Robin stage
Round 1
10–13 October 2020
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- Western Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
- Lance Morris (Western Australia) made his first-class debut.
- Lloyd Pope (South Australia) became the first leg spinner in 50 years to take a five-wicket haul on the opening day of a Sheffield Shield season.[17]
- Josh Inglis (Western Australia) scored his maiden first-class century.[18]
- Ashton Agar (Western Australia) became the 28th player to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in the same Sheffield Shield match.[19]
10–13 October 2020
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- Tasmania won the toss and elected to bat.
- Park 25 hosted its maiden first-class cricket match.[20]
- Michael Neser (Queensland) scored his maiden first-class century.[21] Neser also became the 27th player to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in the same Sheffield Shield match.[19]
17–20 November 2020
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- The match was postponed due to COVID-19 quarantine restrictions.[22]
Round 2
Round 3
30 October–2 November 2020
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- Tasmania won the toss and elected to field.
- Shaun Marsh (Western Australia) scored his 30th century in first-class cricket.[23]
- Lance Morris (Western Australia) took his maiden first-class five-wicket haul.
30 October–2 November 2020
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- South Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
- Zak Evans and Mitchell Perry (Victoria) both made their first-class debuts.
- Marcus Harris and Will Pucovski (Victoria) made the highest ever partnership in Sheffield Shield history, scoring 486 runs for the first wicket. The previous record was held by Mark and Steve Waugh, making 464 for New South Wales against Western Australia in the 1990–91 tournament.[24]
Round 4
8–11 November 2020
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- Tasmania won the toss and elected to field.
- New South Wales made their third-lowest total in the Sheffield Shield.[25]
- Sean Abbott (New South Wales) scored his maiden century in first-class cricket.[26]
8–11 November 2020
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- Queensland won the toss and elected to bat.
- Jimmy Peirson (Queensland) scored his maiden century in first-class cricket.[27]
- Callum Ferguson (South Australia) played in his final first-class cricket match.[28]
Round 5
12–15 February 2021
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19–22 February 2021
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21–24 February 2021
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Round 6
1–4 March 2021
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1–4 March 2021
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2–5 March 2021
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Round 7
10–13 March 2021
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11–14 March 2021
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11–14 March 2021
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Round 8
20–23 March 2021
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25–28 March 2021
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28–31 March 2021
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Round 9
6–9 April 2021
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6–9 April 2021
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6–9 April 2021
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Final
15–19 April 2021
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TBC
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TBC
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References
- ^ "All You Need To Know for the Sheffield Shield". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ "All the Australian state squads for the 2020-21 season". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
- ^ "State squads: All the ins and outs for the 2020-21 season". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
- ^ "Sheffield Shield returns to Kookaburra ball throughout". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- ^ "No Dukes, Cricket Australia to use Kookaburra in first-class cricket from 2020-21 season". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- ^ "NSW Blues' Sheffield Shield drought ends in bizarre fashion as coronavirus wipes out final". Fox Sports. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- ^ "New South Wales named Sheffield Shield winners as final cancelled". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- ^ "Sheffield Shield to start next month with four rounds in Adelaide hub". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ "Australia to start domestic season mid-October in Adelaide bubble". Cricket365. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ "Sheffield Shield season to begin in Adelaide". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ "Victoria to play just two Shield games in Adelaide; Handscomb flags pacers' concerns". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ^ "Nervous moments as Vic pair rewrite records". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
- ^ "Marcus Harris and Will Pucovski set new Sheffield Shield record with 486-run stand". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
- ^ "CA confirms latest ever finish to domestic summer". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
- ^ "Latest Australian domestic season to end on April 30, Sheffield Shield trimmed by one round". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
- ^ "Marsh Sheffield Shield 2020/21". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- ^ Cameron, Louis. "History-making haul vindicates faith in Pope". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ^ "Sheffield Shield: Western Australia's Josh Inglis, Ashton Agar notch twin tons two balls apart". The West Australia. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Michael Neser and Ashton Agar achieve rare double in the space of an hour". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ^ "Peaceful park prepares to host Test stars". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ "Queensland hunt innings victory after Michael Neser's maiden hundred". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Victoria quarantine forces Shield fixture rejig". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ^ "Boom batsman Cameron Green was out cheaply as stalwart Shaun Marsh went big again for Western Australia". News.com.au. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
- ^ Jackson, Andrew (1 November 2020). "Pucovski and Harris make history with incredible 486-run Shield partnership". Fox Sports. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
- ^ "New South Wales skittled for 64, third lowest Shield score, as Peter Siddle and Jackson Bird revel". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
- ^ "Abbott ton complicates selection debate". 7 News. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ "Mitchell Swepson stars again after Matt Renshaw breaks century drought". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
- ^ "One-Test batsman and South Australia great Callum Ferguson retires from FC cricket". Nine Network. Retrieved 15 November 2020.