Latest team news, broadcast info and start times as the top two face off for the ultimate prize in men's domestic cricket
South Australia v Queensland: Sheffield Shield Final preview
Match details
Who: South Australia v Queensland
What: Sheffield Shield final
When: March 26-30
Where: Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide
Hours of play:
Coin toss 9.50am local (10.20am AEDT)
First session 10.35am-12.35pm local (11.05am-1.05pm AEDT)
Second session 1.15pm-3.15pm local (1.45pm-3.45pm AEDT)
Third session 3.35pm-5.35pm local (4.05pm-6.05pm AEDT)
How to watch: Foxtel, Kayo Sports, cricket.com.au and the CA Live app. Listen on ABC Radio via the CA Live and ABC Listen apps.
Former South Australian coach and Test paceman Jason Gillespie, who was a member of the state's last Sheffield Shield-winning XI in 1995-96, heads the experts in the commentary box for the final. He'll be joined by Chadd Sayers, who played in South Australia's last Shield final appearance in 2016-17, and Alex Ross, who scored 72 and 71 in the decider the year prior. Renowned cricket statistician Lawrie Colliver and former Zimbabwean international Henry Olonga round out the panel.
There will also be a 45-minute preview show ahead of day one, beginning at 9.45am local time (10.15am AEDT). Broadcaster Bill Woods will host the show with guest appearances from Gillespie, Ross and Colliver. The show will cover the coin toss live at 9.50am (10.20am AEDT) and include player interviews as well as the all-important pitch report.
How to attend: Free for all patrons (non-ticketed).
Gates open at 8am daily with viewing platforms constructed on the east side of the ground, as well as additional grandstand seating and two large LED screens to optimise fan experience.
Patrons are encouraged to bring their own seating or a picnic rug to set up on the grassed areas around the oval with seating unreserved and available on a first-in, first-served basis.
Live scores: Match Centre
Officials: Sam Nogajski and Donovan Koch (field), Phil Gillespie (third), David Gilbert (match referee)
Highlights, news and reactions post-play: cricket.com.au and the CA Live app
Podcast: The Unplayable Podcast released a Shield final special episode to look ahead to the season's ultimate match, with special guests Jason Sangha and Andy Bichel jumping on for a bumper episode. Listen to it below or just search for 'Unplayable Podcast' on your preferred podcasting platform.
Road to the final
Form this season, most recent first, W: win, L: loss, D: draw
South Australia: DWWWWDLWWD
South Australia have been the dominant side all season, winning the one-day competition and topping the Shield standings by a margin of more than 15 points. Their last and only red-ball loss this summer was back in early November to NSW at the venue that will host the final.
They went on a four-match winning run prior to the final round to lock up top spot, with their four-wicket win over Victoria where they chased down 300 on the final day exemplifying a fighting quality Ryan Harris' team have had all season, which hasn't been seen in a South Australian men's side for years.
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Henry Hunt, Jake Lehmann, Alex Carey and Jason Sangha all finished in the top 15 run-scorers for the season, while Nathan McAndrew (35) was the third highest wicket-taker. And SA enter the final with their top six batters all in form following last week's round 10 run fest against Queensland.
Queensland: DWLWWLDDLD
Winless for the first half of the season, the Bulls turned their fortunes around with a tense 23-run defeat of Victoria at the MCG prior to the Big Bash break. Since then, they've only lost once, and jumped from fifth place to second with their thumping nine-wicket win over Tasmania in round nine.
Centuries to Jimmy Peirson and Jack Wildermuth then helped the Bulls secure enough batting bonus points in their high-scoring draw with SA to eliminate Victoria and they watched on nervously as other results fell their way in the final round as Western Australia and NSW both lost their matches. The Bulls are the first team since 2003-04 (excluding the Covid shortened seasons) to qualify for the final with only three wins for the season.
Sheffield Shield standings 2024-25
| Team | M | W | L | D | N/R | Ded. | Bat | Bowl | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
SA
|
10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7.61 | 9 | 55.61 |
|
2
QLD
|
10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9.06 | 8.7 | 39.76 |
|
3
VIC
|
10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5.19 | 9.3 | 39.49 |
|
4
NSW
|
10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6.99 | 8.4 | 36.39 |
|
5
TAS
|
10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7.72 | 8.2 | 35.92 |
|
6
WA
|
10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5.83 | 8.6 | 35.43 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
D: Drawn
N/R: No results
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
Bowl: Bowling Bonus
PTS: Total points
Squads
South Australia: Nathan McSweeney (c), Jordan Buckingham, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Henry Hunt, Jake Lehmann, Ben Manenti, Nathan McAndrew, Conor McInerney, Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Henry Thornton
Ins: Brendan Doggett, Harry Nielsen
Speedster Brendan Doggett returns after he was rested for SA's round 10 draw with the Bulls and will no doubt slot straight back into the XI for the season finale. Former Queenslander Doggett is the only player in the SA squad with a Shield title to his name having bowled the final ball in their opponent's 2020-21 triumph before switching states that offseason.
Liam Scott, who was included in the squad for the last match but also put his feet up with the state assured of top spot, is another likely addition, meaning two unlucky South Australians are set to miss out for the decider.
Wicketkeeper Harry Nielsen, whose dad Tim was SA's gloveman in their last Sheffield Shield success in 1995-96, also returns to the squad but isn't expected to play with Test 'keeper Alex Carey back in the fold and hitting a century against Queensland in the last match.
Test teammate Travis Head (Hyderabad) and left-arm quick Spencer Johnson (Kolkata) are unavailable due to the Indian Premier League, as is Jake Fraser-McGurk (Delhi) who hit a 37-ball 43 in his one game this Shield season.
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Queensland: Marnus Labuschagne (c), Jack Clayton, Lachlan Hearne, Usman Khawaja, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Tom Straker, Mitchell Swepson, Callum Vidler, Jack Wildermuth
In: Usman Khawaja
Out: Jack Sinfield
After a week of off-field "distractions" centring around a war of words between high performance boss Joe Dawes and Usman Khawaja for sitting out their round 10 draw with SA, the Test opener has been named in Queensland's 14-player squad for the final. Khawaja tested a hamstring niggle with run throughs on Sunday and previously declared he would push through at "60-70 per cent" to play in the final.
Former Test batter Matthew Renshaw is also a one to keep an eye on with wife Josie due to give birth to the couple's second child, but the left-hander was expected to travel with the squad to Adelaide on Monday.
Spinner Jack Sinfield, who hasn't played a Shield match in two years, drops out of the squad from round 10 for Khawaja. Paceman Xavier Bartlett (Punjab) is unavailable as he heads to the IPL for the first time.
Australian batter and Bulls captain Marnus Labuschagne was player of the match in their previous Shield final triumph in 2020-21, scoring 193 in their innings and 33-run defeat of NSW. Khawaja, Renshaw, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Mitchell Swepson and Jack Wildermuth also featured alongside Labuschagne in Queensland's last Shield success.
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Predicted XIs
South Australia: Henry Hunt, Conor McInerney, Nathan McSweeney (c), Jason Sangha, Alex Carey (wk), Jake Lehmann, Liam Scott, Ben Manenti, Nathan McAndrew, Brendan Doggett, Jordan Buckingham
SA coach Ryan Harris' admits his selection dilemma revolves around whether to play a second spinner, and if not, a tough call looms between Ben Manenti and Lloyd Pope. Pope took 3-84 from 26 overs last match, while Manenti returned 1-53 from 16.5 overs and made 49 in the first innings. Including Manenti would lengthen SA's batting, which could prove crucial if the Karen Rolton Oval pitch plays similar to last week and the match turns into a first-innings shootout.
The hosts' top seven appears settled following opener Conor McInerney's century in round 10, with the other line-ball selection call between Jordan Buckingham and Henry Thornton for the third seamer's role. Thornton has been impressive with 10 wickets since coming back into the team for the past two games, while Buckingham was wicketless against Queensland but has 21 wickets at 25.76 in his five Shield appearances this season.
Queensland: Usman Khawaja, Matthew Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne (c), Jack Clayton, Ben McDermott, Jimmy Peirson (wk), Michael Neser, Jack Wildermuth, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Callum Vidler
Usman Khawaja's return means it's likely a straight swap with the Test opener replacing Lachlan Hearne at the top of the order. Queensland selectors could also be mulling the make-up of their bowling attack after capturing just 11 South Australian wickets across almost 220 overs last week at the same venue that will host the final.
While Jack Wildermuth hit a century, he has taken just two wickets in his past four innings. The Bulls could be tempted to bring back Australia under-19 World Cup-winning quick Tom Straker for the final, with the right-armer taking 12 wickets in his five games this season. Teenage speedster Callum Vidler bowled aggressively in patches last week, but as it was his first four-day match in a year, he could be another to make way should selectors opt for Straker.
Recent history
Round 10 (Karen Rolton Oval): South Australia (7d-614 & 5-252) drew with Queensland (370)
You don't have to go back far to when these two sides last met, playing out a high-scoring draw at the same venue that will host this week's final. The South Australians mostly used the match as batting practice, with four of their batters – Conor McInerney (142), Alex Carey (104), Jake Lehmann (130) and Jason Sangha (103no) hitting centuries as they racked up the highest first-class total at Karen Rolton Oval. They also took the opportunity to rest fast bowler Brendan Doggett and allrounder Liam Scott having already locked up hosting rights for the final.
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Meanwhile, Queensland's season looked done for all money at 5-110 at stumps on day two, before Jimmy Peirson (128), Michael Neser (68) and Jack Wildermuth (104) staged a remarkable fightback the next morning to secure enough batting bonus points with other results falling their way in the final round to hold onto second spot by just 0.27 points.
Round 2 (Allan Border Field): South Australia (314 & 9d-352) defeated Queensland (308 & 229) by 129 runs
The two states also met back in October in Brisbane where Henry Hunt (136) and Alex Carey hit centuries to set up a 129-run win for South Australia. Conor McInerney also scored 51 as the visitors posted 314 after being sent in. Bulls debutant Tom Whitney took five wickets while Ben McDermott (52) and Jimmy Peirson (94) led Queensland's reply of 308 before Carey's superb unbeaten 123 allowed SA to declare and set he hosts 359 to win on the final day. Left-hander Jack Clayton was the only major resistance with 91 as Nathan McAndrew's five wickets and Liam Scott's three ended the Bulls' charge on 229.
Last time they met in a final
1994-95 (Gabba): South Australia (214 & 349) lost to Queensland (664) by an innings and 101 runs
The two states have met once before in a Sheffield Shield decider – the year prior to South Australia's most recent title. It was the Bulls first Sheffield Shield title since entering the competition in 1926-27, with this season marking 30 years on from that historic triumph.
Needing to win the match as the lower ranked side, SA captain Jamie Siddons opted to bat first, but they were bundled out for 214 with James Brayshaw and Tim Nielsen top scoring with 53 apiece. Former Test paceman Carl Rackemann (3-54) led the way with the ball before openers Trevor Barsby (151) and Matthew Hayden (74), Martin Love (146), and legendary Australian captain Allan Border (98) put the result beyond doubt as the Bulls amassed more than 650. With not even a draw able to save them, South Australia made a better fist of it in the second innings with opener Paul Nobes scoring an even century and Darren Lehmann hitting 62 and Darren Webber 91, but were bowled out late on day five.
Hype me with some Shield history
It's been an agonising 29 years since South Australia last tasted Sheffield Shield success when captain Jamie Siddons lifted the iconic trophy at Adelaide Oval after No.10 Peter McIntyre and No.11 Shane George held on for 40 minutes to secure a draw in what is considered one of the best finals ever contested.
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Since then, no side has finished last more than South Australia (15 times), which included a streak of five seasons in a row between 2017-18 and 2021-22. But having secured a drought-breaking win in that final game of '21-22, the side formerly known as the Redbacks have steadily improved with each season.
Smart recruiting has transformed them into a powerful bowling unit with coach Ryan Harris stating their goal was to be considered as Australia's second-best attack after the Test team. They've also built batting depth with the acquisitions of Nathan McSweeney from Queensland and Jason Sangha from NSW, who along with the sparkling form of Henry Hunt, Jake Lehmann and Alex Carey, has SA – a foundation member of the competition since 1892–93 – eyeing a long-awaited 14th Sheffield Shield title.
Queensland, meanwhile, are hunting their 10th Shield triumph having last experienced success under Usman Khawaja in 2020-21, and also in 2017-18 under Jimmy Peirson. Having beaten SA in the 1994-95 final (after the playoff match was introduced in 1982–83), the Bulls won again the year after South Australia's most recent success. It was the beginning of a golden run for the state who claimed a three-peat at the turn of the millennium. They also finished runners-up for the next three years after that before lifting the Shield again in 2005-06 and 2011-12 – their eight titles making them the most successful state in the years since South Australia's last title.
Queensland were the fourth state to enter the Sheffield Shield in 1926-27, which boasts possibly the coolest trophy in world sport. The Shield was struck just prior to the competition's inaugural season 132 years ago when Lord Sheffield (a promoter for the England team led by W.G. Grace) donated £150 for the trophy's creation. Despite joining more than 20 years later in 1947-48, Western Australia have the third most titles (18) after NSW (47) and Victoria (32), while Tasmania, who were the sixth state to join in 1977-78, have won it three times. WA have won the Shield the last three seasons, and despite finishing last in 2024-25, they would have qualified for their fourth consecutive final if they scored 35 more runs in the final round to beat Victoria.
Local knowledge
What happens if it's a draw?
If the match ends in a draw after five days – as it did in 2021-22 when WA were declared champions over Victoria – then the title will go to the state who secures the most bonus points after the first innings.
Bonus points are awarded only in the first 100 overs of each team's first innings. The batting side earns 0.01 of a bonus point for every run scored over 200 in that first 100 overs (for example: 350 runs after 100 overs gets you 1.5 bonus points). The bowling side earns 0.1 of a bonus point for every wicket they take (for example: 10 wickets in the first 100 overs equals 1 bonus point).
If the match is drawn and the bonus points are tied, then South Australia will be declared the winners of the 2024-25 Sheffield Shield by virtue of finishing on top of the standings.
Rapid stats
- South Australia have picked up one win and one draw from their two games against Queensland in the 2024-25 Sheffield Shield season – the last time they finished a campaign without losing at least once to Queensland was when they beat them twice in 2008-09.
- Queensland are undefeated in their last eight Sheffield Shield matches against South Australia in Adelaide (four wins, four draws).
- South Australia have won only one of their last 11 Sheffield Shield matches at Karen Rolton Oval (drawn five, lost five) and are winless in their last five games at the venue. Meanwhile, Queensland are undefeated in their last five matches outside Queensland (won two, drawn three).
- South Australia will be looking to win the Sheffield Shield for the first time since 1995-96, while Queensland will be looking to clinch the Shield for the first time since 2020-21. This season is the first time since the 2016-17 that South Australia have finished in the top half of the standings.
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- South Australia scored 866 runs at an average of 72.2 in their last Sheffield Shield match – which was against Queensland – which was the second-most runs scored per wicket of any team in a game this campaign – South Australia (33) and Queensland (32.8) have the best batting averages of any teams this season.
- South Australia have taken 13 wickets via short deliveries this Sheffield Shield season, the most of any team in the competition and eight more than last-ranked Queensland (5). SA quick Henry Thornton (six wickets) has taken more wickets on a short-ball length than the entire Queensland team.
- Alex Carey (South Australia) has scored 92 runs against Mitchell Swepson in the 2024-25 Sheffield Shield season without being dismissed by him, which is the most runs that any batter has scored against a single bowler in this campaign.
- Michael Neser (Queensland) has taken 19 wickets in the Sheffield Shield since the start of 2025, the second-most of any bowler behind only Western Australia's Corey Rocchiccioli (24). Neser has taken at least one wicket in each of his last 14 innings and has only twice from 23 innings failed to take a wicket against South Australia.
- Usman Khawaja (Queensland) has scored 476 runs at an average of 79.3 across his last nine Sheffield Shield innings, logging two centuries and two half-centuries in that time. However, he's been dismissed for four runs or fewer in one innings during each of his last three matches against South Australia.
Sheffield Shield final 2024-25
March 26-30 (10.35am ACDT): South Australia v Queensland, Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide
The Sheffield Shield final will be broadcast live on Foxtel, Kayo Sports, cricket.com.au and the CA Live app