Bartlett Back For Bulls

Bartlett and allrounder Jack Wildermuth have been included in a 13-man squad to prepare for the rare pink-ball clash with Shield leaders Victoria at the Gabba.

Bartlett made a successful return from a pre-season side-strain when he turned out for Australia in the recent T20 International series win over Pakistan where he and Brisbane Heat teammate Spencer Johnson were among the team’s stand-out bowlers.

Wildermuth is in line to play his second Shield game of the season after overcoming a frustrating groin injury that sidelined him for several weeks.

Bartlett comes into the squad with fellow young gun Tom Straker not selected as team management monitor the 19-year-old’s workload levels in his first season of top-line cricket.

Queensland batsmen Jack Clayton and Matthew Renshaw were named today in the Prime Minister’s XI to play India in Canberra in a two-day clash from 30 November. 

Rookie Queensland paceman Jem Ryan was also included in the PM’s XI squad after successfully returning from a hamstring injury earlier this month.

It has been nearly seven years since the Bulls last contested a day/night Shield match, with several players in each team yet to experience a pink-ball match.

Coming into the Victoria clash, the Bulls have yet to register a win in the Shield although they remain close to other teams on the ladder, with Victoria currently leading after a strong win over defending champions Western Australia at the MCG earlier in the week.

It will be the first game at the Gabba this season for the Bulls, with the venue hosting the Australia- Pakistan T20 international and the WBBL Gabba Smash presented by Ward in recent weeks.

The Bulls have two Shield games remaining before the competition pauses for the KFC Big Bash League in December and January where the Brisbane Heat will seek to go back-to-back.  

The day/night round will feature a pink Kookaburra ball for the first time in seven years, with states to play under lights at the Gabba and Adelaide Oval ahead of upcoming day-night Tests at those venues over the next two summers.

The games between South Australia and Western Australia in Adelaide, and the Queensland-Victoria match in Brisbane, will be day-night matches.

Sheffield Shield (D/N)
Queensland v Victoria, the Gabba
Sunday – Wednesday, 
2pm start daily

Queensland Bulls
4. Mitchell Swepson (c)
19. Xavier Bartlett
21. Jack Clayton
36. Liam Guthrie
22. Lachlan Hearne
48. Angus Lovell
43. Ben McDermott
59. Jimmy Peirson
77. Matthew Renshaw
16. Mark Steketee
25. Bryce Street
31. Tom Whitney
24. Jack Wildermuth
(12th to be named, one to be omitted)