Bulls Relish Home Shield Game

With all matches in the opening round of the Shield competition finishing in a draw, the Bulls will be eager to add to their points tally against the visitors in the second round.

Queensland has made two changes to the squad it took to Perth to play defending Shield champions WA, with allrounder Jack Wildermuth and pace bowler Tom Straker omitted.

Wildermuth is nursing a minor groin strain while Australia Under-19 quick Tom Straker, who made his first-class debut against WA, will sit out the match for workload reasons ahead of the Australia ‘A’ series games against India ‘A’ in Mackay and Melbourne.

Queensland players Michael Neser, Mark Steketee and Jimmy Peirson have been chosen for the two games against India, with the first game in Mackay from 31 Oct – 3 November clashing with the Bulls third round Shield clash with NSW at Cricket Central in Sydney.

Straker and Wildermuth are set to be in contention for selection for that NSW match.

Bulls captain Marnus Labuschagne will also miss the round three Shield game against NSW as he switches to limited overs cricket as part of the Australian ODI squad for the three-match series against Pakistan.

Labuschagne will lead Queensland against South Australia this week where his opposition skipper will be ex-Bulls player and current Brisbane Heat teammate Nathan McSweeney.

Left-arm pace bowler Liam Guthrie, who played in a high-scoring Toyota 2nd XI draw against Victoria in Melbourne during the week that featured an unbeaten 250no by squad mate Angus Lovell, is in line to play his first Shield game for Queensland since the end of last season.

Former Australian Under-19 quick Tom Whitney has also been included in the12-man Bulls squad for the SA match and the Wests paceman would make his Shield debut for Queensland if chosen in the starting side, as would Toombul batsman Lachlan Hearne.

Hearne, who previously played one-day and first-class cricket for NSW, made his One Day Cup debut last week for the Bulls against WA, hitting 76 to be equal top score with Usman Khawaja in the loss.

Players unavailable for selection as they complete their return from injury include Hugh Weibgen (finger), Gurinder Sandhu (calf), Callum Vidler (groin), Jem Ryan (hamstring) and Xavier Bartlett (side strain).

The Bulls competed for a hard-fought draw against triple Sheffield Shield champions Western Australia at the WACA last week, with the class of Michael Neser (5-68 in the WA 1st innings), captain Marnus Labuschagne (77), Jack Clayton (85), Ben McDermott (68) and Usman Khawaja (64no) all on display during the opening first class game of the season.

The match starting on Sunday will be streamed on Kayo and cricket.com.au and admission is free.

Queensland also takes on SA next Friday in a One Day Cup game at Allan Border Field.

Sheffield Shield
Queensland v South Australia
Allan Border Field, Sun – Wednesday
10am start daily (Qld time)

Queensland Bulls
33. Marnus Labuschagne (c)
21. Jack Clayton
36. Liam Guthrie
22. Lachlan Hearne
18. Usman Khawaja
43. Ben McDermott
20. Michael Neser
59. Jimmy Peirson
77. Matthew Renshaw
16. Mark Steketee
4. Mitchell Swepson
31. Tom Whitney
(12th man to be named at the toss)

Australia A v India A
October 31-November 3: First four-day match, Greg Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay
November 7-10: Second four-day match, CitiPower Centre, Melbourne