Ultimate guide for the 2022-23 Sheffield Shield

When does it start?

Monday! Reigning champions Western Australia and NSW will launch the Marsh Sheffield Shield season at the WACA from October 3-6. The remaining four states begin their campaigns four days later from October 6-9 when Queensland take on Tasmania at Allan Border Field and South Australia host Victoria at Karen Rolton Oval. There will be six Shield rounds before players break for the Big Bash season in early December.

What's the full schedule?

Unlike last summer where states played a varying number of matches due to the pandemic and border closures, the Sheffield Shield returns to a full 10-match home-and-away season in 2022-23. Cricket Australia announced the men's and women's domestic fixtures in June, and the full Sheffield Shield fixture can be found here.

The final between the two top-ranked teams after the regular season will be played from March 23-27 and hosted by the team that finishes on top of the table.

How can I watch?

Every game can be streamed live and free in Australia and internationally (except select countries) on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app with ball-by-ball commentary, and also via Kayo Sports in Australia.

Shield fans in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka can watch live via FanCode.

Those looking to get their Shield fix on the big screen can use the CA Live app on Apple TV, or stream via our match centre and use Chromecast.

The final will also be broadcast on Foxtel and Kayo Sports with commentary from the Fox Cricket team.

Can I attend?

Absolutely! Every game is open to the public with free entry in Queensland, NSW, Tasmania and at Karen Rolton Oval. Entry to the Gabba is via Gate 5 on Vulture St.

Tickets cost $10 for adults (free for under-18s and SACA members) for matches at Adelaide Oval and can be purchased on the day at the venue, while entry to Shield games at the WACA Ground costs $10 for adults, $5 for concession and is free for those aged 15 and under with tickets able to be purchased at the venue and online via Ticketek.

In Victoria, tickets cost $5 for adults, $2 for children/concession and $10 for a family. For matches at the MCG, tickets can be purchased at the gate and online through Ticketek. For matches at the CitiPower Centre/Junction Oval, tickets are only available for purchase at Gate 2 on Lakeside Drive.

MCC, Renegades and Stars members can gain free entry to the CitiPower Centre upon presentation of a membership card.

How else can I follow?

If you're not able to attend or watch live or you just want to re-live all the action, you can get all the live scores, news, interviews and highlights on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app.

You can also catch a replay of every wicket in the CA Live app's match centre, which can be downloaded here.

How does the points system work?

Teams get six points for an outright win, one point for a draw, plus 0.01 of a bonus point for every run over 200 they score during the first 100 overs of their first innings (for example: 350 runs after 100 overs gets you 1.5 bonus points) and 0.1 of a bonus point for every wicket they take during the first 100 overs of their opponent's first innings (for example: 10 wickets in the first 100 overs equals 1 bonus point).

Who are the players to watch?

Australia's Test specialists will feature for their states in the opening four matches of the Shield season ahead of the series opener against the West Indies in Perth on November 30, while there's also several players looking to impress national selectors ahead of a massive summer of international cricket.

The first match of the year will see Test spinner Nathan Lyon suit up for NSW, and Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja are expected to be available for Queensland's opening four Shield matches, as are South Australian pair Travis Head and Alex Carey for the Redbacks.

White-ball superstar Glenn Maxwell has also flagged his intention to play two Shield matches for Victoria after the T20 World Cup as he looks to press his case for inclusion in the Australian Test squad for the four-match tour of India in February-March next year. The Vics will also be able to call upon Scott Boland for at least the opening four matches and Will Pucovski returns to the side following an interrupted 2021-22 season.

WA quick Jhye Richardson and Queensland seamer Michael Neser will be hoping for a strong start to the Shield season to press their claims for a Test recall, while incumbent Test spinner Mitchell Swepson will be eyeing consistent game time ahead of next year's much-anticipated tour of India.

Tasmania have a relatively stable squad and will be boosted by the return of captain Matthew Wade after the T20 World Cup for the last two matches before the Big Bash break.

The squads

Western Australia are the reigning Sheffield Shield champions, breaking a 23-year drought by securing more first innings bonus points in last season's drawn decider against Victoria. Despite missing Mitch Marsh, Ashton Agar, Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis for the first part of the season due to the T20 World Cup, they again have strong depth and will prove tough to beat this season.

NSW

Sean Abbott, Trent Copeland, Pat Cummins*, Oliver Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Mickey Edwards, Matthew Gilkes, Ryan Hackney, Ryan Hadley, Liam Hatcher, Josh Hazlewood*, Lachlan Hearne, Moises Henriques, Baxter Holt, Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Nathan Lyon*, Kurtis Patterson (c), Daniel Sams, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, Steve Smith*, Mitchell Starc*, Chris Tremain, David Warner*, Adam Zampa*. Rookies: Liam Doddrell, Blake Nikitaras, Jack Nisbet, Lachlan Shaw, Will Salzmann, Hunar Verma

Ins: Hayden Kerr, Liam Doddrell (rookie), Blake Nikitaras (rookie), Lachlan Shaw (rookie), Will Salzmann (rookie)

Outs: Josh Baraba (rookie – delisted), Harry Conway (South Australia), Peter Nevill (retired)

* Cricket Australia contract

Queensland Bulls

Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Max Bryant, Joe Burns, Jack Clayton, Blake Edwards, Liam Guthrie, Sam Heazlett, Usman Khawaja*, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne*, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Kane Richardson, Gurinder Sandhu, Mark Steketee, Bryce Street, Connor Sully, Mitchell Swepson*, Sam Truloff, Jack Wildermuth. Rookies: William Prestwidge, Jackson Sinfield, Hugo Burdon, Matthew Willans

Ins: Liam Guthrie (WA), Kane Richardson (SA), Gurinder Sandhu, Sam Truloff, Jackson Sinfield (rookie), Hugo Burdon (rookie)

Outs: Billy Stanlake (Tasmania), Lachlan Pfeffer (delisted), Jack Wood (delisted)

South Australia Redbacks

Wes Agar, Jordan Buckingham, Alex Carey*, Jake Carder, Harry Conway, Brendan Doggett, Daniel Drew, David Grant, Travis Head*, Henry Hunt, Spencer Johnson, Thomas Kelly, Jake Lehmann, Nathan McAndrew, Nathan McSweeney, Ben Manenti, Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Liam Scott, Henry Thornton, Jake Weatherald, Nick Winter. Rookies: Kyle Brazell, Aiden Cahill, Bailey Capel, Isaac Higgins, Ryan King, Harry Matthias

Ins: Harry Conway (NSW), Spencer Johnson, Ben Manenti (Tasmania), Henry Thornton (Victoria), Aidan Cahill (NSW), Isaac Higgins, Harry Matthias

Outs: Ryan Gibson (delisted), Corey Kelly (personal reasons), Sam Kerber (delisted), Joe Mennie (retired), Kane Richardson (Queensland), Daniel Worrall (Surrey)

Tasmanian Tigers

Tom Andrews, Gabe Bell, Jackson Bird, Iain Carlisle, Jake Doran, Nathan Ellis, Brad Hope, Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Lawrence Neil-Smith, Sam Rainbird, Peter Siddle, Jordan Silk, Billy Stanlake, Matthew Wade, Charlie Wakim, Tim Ward, Beau Webster, Mac Wright. Rookies: Nick Davis, Jarrod Freeman, Mitch Owen, Nivethan Radhakrishnan

Ins: Nick Davis, Billy Stanlake (Queensland)

Outs: Tim Paine

Victoria

Scott Boland*, Travis Dean, Zak Evans, Aaron Finch*, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Mackenzie Harvey, Jon Holland, Nic Maddinson, Cameron McClure, Glenn Maxwell*, Jono Merlo, Todd Murphy, Tom O'Connell, Wil Parker, Mitchell Perry, Will Pucovski, Matt Short, Will Sutherland. Rookies: Ashley Chandrasinghe, Brody Couch, Sam Elliott, Campbell Kellaway, Fergus O'Neill

Ins: Ashley Chandrasinghe (rookie), Campbell Kellaway (rookie)

Outs: James Pattinson (mutually terminated), Xavier Crone (delisted), Seb Gotch (retired), James Seymour (delisted), Tom Jackson (delisted)

Western Australia

Ashton Agar*, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Hilton Cartwright, Sam Fanning, Cameron Gannon, Cameron Green*, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis*, Bryce Jackson, Matthew Kelly, Mitch Marsh*, Shaun Marsh, David Moody, Lance Morris, Joel Paris, Josh Philippe, Jhye Richardson, Corey Rocchiccioli, D’Arcy Short, Charlie Stobo, Marcus Stoinis*, Ashton Turner, Sam Whiteman, Teague Wyllie. Rookies: Cooper Connolly, Jayden Goodwin, Sam Greer, Hamish Mckenzie

Ins: Sam Greer (rookie), Hamish Mckenzie (rookie), Teague Wyllie

Outs: Liam Guthrie (Queensland)