Top spot on the Bupa Sheffield Shield competition ladder is up for grabs this week when the NSW Blues host Western Australia at Newcastle’s No.1 Sportsground starting on Wednesday (February 25).
With three victories in their last three matches, the Blues currently sit on top of the Shield ladder with 35.39 points, while Western Australia are placed second on 33.94 points.
It is the first of two meetings between these sides in the last three rounds of the competition, and this week’s match is set to continue the growing rivalry between the two States.
NSW and Western Australia last clashed in a First Class fixture in the 2013/14 Bupa Sheffield Shield Final in Canberra.
The match ended in a draw however it was NSW who lifted the trophy after finishing on top of the ladder.
Earlier this summer Western Australia defeated NSW to win the Matador One Day Cup while players from both sides were also involved in the KFC T20 Big Bash Final between the Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers.
Selectors have stuck with the same squad of 12 players which defeated Victoria last week in Wagga Wagga for this week’s match.
The full squad is (clubs/regional zones in brackets):
Moises Henriques (captain – St George)
Sean Abbott (Sydney University)
Doug Bollinger (Fairfield-Liverpool)
Ryan Carters (Sydney University/ACT-Southern)
Scott Henry (Sydney University/Western)
Nick Larkin (Sydney University/North Coastal)
Nathan Lyon (Northern District/Riverina)
Nic Maddinson (Eastern Suburbs/ACT-Southern)
Peter Nevill (Eastern Suburbs)
Stephen O’Keefe (Manly-Warringah)
Kurtis Patterson (St George)
Gurinder Sandhu (Fairfield-Liverpool)
The Bupa Sheffield Shield clash between the NSW Blues and Western Australia at Newcastle No.1 Oval will run from February 25 – 28, with play scheduled to start at 10:30am each day. Entry is free.
While in Newcastle, several NSW Blues will also be taking part in two community visits where fans will have the chance to meet the players on Tuesday (February 24) afternoon.
Players will be attending a Macquarie Bank Cricket Clinic at the Newcastle No.2 Sportsground from 4pm – 5pm, as well as visiting the McDonald’s Newcastle restaurant (corner of King and Steele Streets, Newcastle) from 5:30pm – 6:30pm.
