As the countdown to the Ashes begins, a star-packed Sheffield Shield round marks Australia’s final tune-up before the first Test. Every member of Australia’s Ashes squad — except veteran opener Usman Khawaja — will take the field for their state sides this week, giving them valuable red-ball match practice ahead of the highly anticipated series against England.
The matches will be played at the SCG, WACA, and Bellerive Oval, offering Australia’s top players the perfect platform to sharpen their skills in home conditions. Meanwhile, England will be fine-tuning their plans with a three-day intra-squad match at Perth’s Lilac Hill — a venue that has never hosted a men’s international game.
Australia Enjoy Red-Ball Advantage Before Ashes
While England’s lead-up has raised eyebrows, especially from former captain Michael Vaughan, Australia’s players are relishing the benefits of meaningful match practice. England’s last red-ball action came in early August, with their squad recently completing a white-ball series against New Zealand. In contrast, Australia’s Test stars have already logged significant time in the middle.
Steven Smith has already scored a red-ball century this summer, and Marnus Labuschagne has two to his name. Nathan Lyon is gearing up for his fourth Sheffield Shield appearance, while Scott Boland plays his third. Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Sean Abbott will all feature for New South Wales in their clash with Victoria at the SCG.
South Australia’s line-up boasts Travis Head and Alex Carey against a Tasmania side led by Jordan Silk and including Jake Weatherald and Beau Webster. In Perth, fans will closely watch Cameron Green’s long-awaited return to bowling for Western Australia.
Players Confident and Comfortable at Home
For Sean Abbott, the Shield round is the ideal preparation for a potential Test debut. “You can’t really match game intensity as much as we try to in the nets,” Abbott said. “It’s just something about being out there in the middle and the thick of the contest. So, pretty lucky — home conditions, home summer.”
Abbott also emphasized how red-ball cricket requires subtle adjustments after months of white-ball focus. “Josh Hazlewood has mentioned it a few times — your action gets into a different position when bowling yorkers. Coming back to red-ball cricket, you want to be up-and-over and give the ball every chance to move.”
With Australia’s entire Test core getting competitive game time, the home side looks well prepared to hit the ground running when the Ashes begin on November 21. England’s unconventional approach might work, but for now, the advantage clearly rests with the hosts enjoying the rhythm of first-class cricket in familiar conditions.
Sheffield Shield Squads:
- New South Wales: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, and others
- Victoria: Will Sutherland (c), Scott Boland, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Todd Murphy
- South Australia: Nathan McSweeney (c), Travis Head, Alex Carey, Jake Lehmann
- Tasmania: Jordan Silk (c), Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster, Matt Kuhnemann
