South Australia face Western Australia in Sheffield Shield clash
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- South Australia host Western Australia at Adelaide Oval from October 28 to 31.
- Western Australia lead the Sheffield Shield table after two rounds with 9.77 points.
- South Australia sit third on 9.42 points, close behind the leaders.
South Australia host Western Australia at Adelaide Oval from October 28 to 31. The match is round three of the Sheffield Shield. It starts at 10:30 am Adelaide time each day. Fans search for this fixture because the table is very tight at the top.
The Sheffield Shield is Australia's top first-class cricket event. First-class cricket is the long form of the game. A match can last up to four days.
Each team bats twice if time allows. Points from each match build the season table.
What happened
Western Australia sit top of the table after two rounds. They have played two matches. They have won one match and drawn one match.
Their total is 9.77 points.
Tasmania sit second with 9.76 points. That gap is only 0.01 points. South Australia sit third with 9.42 points.
They have won one match and lost one match. One strong result in Adelaide can change the order fast.
South Australia started the season with a win over Victoria. They then lost to Queensland in round two. The South Australian Cricket Association said the team wants to bounce back.
Coach Ryan Harris leads the side.
Western Australia drew their last match against New South Wales. New South Wales scored 440 for 6 in their first innings. Western Australia replied with 339 runs.
The match ended in a draw after a late fightback.
Joel Curtis and Joel Paris saved that draw for Western Australia. They batted with great care at the end. Paris survived 82 balls in that stand.
Curtis finished on 19 not out from 113 balls. That stand kept Western Australia unbeaten this season.
The squads
South Australia named a 12-player squad for this match. The squad is: Wes Agar, Brendan Doggett, Matthew Gilkes, and Mackenzie Harvey. It also has Jake Lehmann, Ben Manenti, Nathan McAndrew, and Nathan McSweeney.
The last four names are Lloyd Pope, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, and Jake Weatherald.
Three players return to the South Australia squad. They are Wes Agar, Matthew Gilkes, and Mackenzie Harvey. Three players drop out of the squad.
Henry Hunt misses out after a concussion. Harry Nielsen is omitted from the team. Henry Thornton is on parental leave.
Hunt took a heavy blow on his helmet while fielding. That happened on the last day against Queensland. Gilkes is set to keep wicket for South Australia.
He crossed to South Australia from New South Wales in the off-season. He scored 127 runs in one One-Day Cup innings. He then scored 97 not out in another innings.
That form earned him a recall.
Western Australia named a 13-player squad for this match. The squad is: Hilton Cartwright, Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, and Brody Couch. It also has Joel Curtis, Kieran Elliott, Albert Esterhuysen, and Jayden Goodwin.
The last names are Liam Haskett and Jhye Richardson. They also include Corey Rocchiccioli, Corey Wasley, and Sam Whiteman.
Hilton Cartwright will captain Western Australia in this match. He led Western Australia in a Shield match once before in 2019. Regular captain Aaron Hardie misses out with a shoulder injury. Hardie hurt his left shoulder while batting against New South Wales.
He was subbed out on day two of that match. He must now serve a 12-day stand-down period.
Joel Paris also misses out for Western Australia. He hurt his hamstring while fielding against New South Wales. Ashton Agar is the only new name in the squad.
He is set to play his first Shield match in more than a year. He last played first-class cricket in round one of last season. He took four wickets in that match.
He also scored 23 runs and 42 runs.
Corey Wasley could play his first full Shield match. He made his first-class debut as a replacement on day three against New South Wales. Fast bowlers Jordan Buckingham and Campbell Thompson still miss out for South Australia.
Buckingham has a side strain. Thompson has a hamstring injury. Both aim to return within two or three weeks.
Why it matters
This match matters because the top of the table is so close. Western Australia lead Tasmania by just 0.01 points. South Australia trail the leaders by only 0.35 points.
A win for South Australia could take them past both teams. A win for Western Australia would stretch their lead.
Form with bat and ball will shape this match. Ben Manenti leads South Australia's run charts this season. He has scored 189 runs so far, according to Cricket World.
Brendan Doggett leads their wicket charts with 8 wickets. For Western Australia, Jhye Richardson leads the wicket charts with 9 wickets. Aaron Hardie leads their run charts with 165 runs, but he is injured and out.
Adelaide Oval has its own trends for batters. Cricket World lists the average first innings total there as 274 runs. The average second innings total is 275 runs.
The average third innings total is 240 runs. The average fourth innings total drops to 190 runs. Batting last at Adelaide Oval is often the hardest job.
South Australia must fix their batting after the Queensland loss. They scored 203 runs in their first innings in that match. They then scored only 145 runs in their second innings.
Queensland won that match by 6 wickets. Jake Lehmann scored 62 runs in the first innings. Ben Manenti fought hard with 39 runs in the second innings.
Neither knock was enough to save the match.
Western Australia must cope without their captain and top scorer. Hardie scored 165 runs this season before his injury. His absence tests the depth of their batting.
Cartwright must now lead from the front as captain. Agar gives them a spin option with bat and ball. Richardson gives them pace and wickets up front.
Fans of Australian cricket can also follow the national teams. Australia beat South Africa in the Durban Test earlier this season. Australia women beat Bangladesh in the third ODI too.
Hazlewood took six wickets against South Africa in another strong display.
What happens next
The match runs for four days, from October 28 to 31. Play starts at 10:30 am Adelaide time each day. That is 5:00 am Pakistan time. The first team to bat will want a big total.
A score near 274 runs matches the ground average. A much bigger total would put real pressure on the other team.
South Australia need early wickets from Doggett and McAndrew. They also need runs from Weatherald and McSweeney at the top. Gilkes brings fresh form behind the stumps and with the bat.
A win at home would lift the whole squad after the Queensland loss.
Western Australia need Richardson to strike early with the new ball. They need Cartwright and Whiteman to lead the batting. Agar can change the game late with spin.
A draw would keep them top if other results help them. A win would give them clear air at the top.
Tasmania also play in this round of matches. They face New South Wales in Hobart from October 30 to November 2. That result will shape the table too. Fans should watch both matches as the round unfolds.
The table after round three will show who leads the early season race.
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