SA win toss, to bowl in Shield final
Queensland have been sent in to bat as the historic Sheffield Shield final gets underway at Karen Rolton Oval.
South Australia will bowl after winning the toss in the Sheffield Shield final against Queensland in Adelaide.
The South Australians are seeking to collect the state’s first shield in 29 years and are also chasing a rare double – winning the shield and the one-day competition in the same season.
SA, who defeated Victoria in the 50-over final on March 1, have never achieved the double – Western Australia (five times), NSW (four times) and Victoria (twice) are the only states to complete the feat.
SA captain Nathan McSweeney opted to bowl, believing the pitch at Karen Rolton Oval on Adelaide’s city fringe could offer some early assistance to pacemen.
“It’s a great wicket but I think if our bowling attack can get anything out of it, it will be in the first hour and hopefully we can do some damage,” McSweeney said.
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SA made two changes from their side that downed the Queenslanders at the same venue last week, with Lloyd Pope and Henry Thornton dropped for returning paceman Brendan Doggett and allrounder Liam Scott.
“Ultimately with finals, hard decisions have to be made and hopefully the team we picked can do the job,” McSweeney said.
The Queenslanders are without Matthew Renshaw, whose wife is awaiting the birth of their second child.
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Test opener Usman Khawaja returns to compete for the Sheffield Shield final after missing the Bulls’ last game due to a hamstring niggle.
Bulls captain Marnus Labuschagne said he would have batted if he won the toss.
“It’s a nice wicket and if we can get through this morning’s period, I think there’s runs to be had,” Labuschagne said.
Earlier this month, the AFL refused to allow the decider to be wedged between AFL games at Adelaide Oval, despite previous calls from the South Australian Cricket Association and Premier Peter Malinauskas.
On the eve of the final, the state government announced the capacity at Karen Rolton Oval had been increased from 5000 to 10,000 for the event, with additional seating, restroom facilities, food trucks and beverage vans.
Sheffield Shield final updated teams
South Australia: Nathan McSweeney (capt), Henry Hunt, Conor McInerney, Jason Sangha, Alex Carey, Jake Lehmann, Liam Scott, Ben Manenti, Nathan McAndrew, Brendan Doggett, Jordan Buckingham.
Queensland: Marnus Labuschagne (capt), Usman Khawaja, Angus Lovell, Jack Clayton, Ben McDermott, Jimmy Peirson, Michael Neser, Jack Wildermuth, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Callum Vidler.
