New Delhi, 31 October (Hindustan Reporter). Josh Hazlewood will make his debut for New South Wales (NSW) in the Sheffield Shield this season as he prepares for the Test series against India, while Nathan Lyon has been rested.
Hazlewood was scheduled to play last week's one-day cup game against Victoria alongside Pat Cummins, but pulled out on the morning of the match due to illness. This means the Sheffield Shield match against Queensland will be their first match since the England tour ends at the end of September and their only competitive match before the first Test against India.
Lyon was expected to play in the three Shield matches before the Test series, but he has bowled 104 overs in the two matches against South Australia and Victoria and it is understood that he is likely to get another chance before facing India. Not there.
Many states have suffered huge losses due to the invitation of Australia ODI and Australia A for the third round of the Shield. Along with Lyon, NSW's playing XI does not include Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Sean Abbott, Sam Konstas and Josh Phillippe as these two series are running simultaneously.
Ollie Davis is also part of the Australia A squad but will only play in the second four-day match at the MCG next week, so is available to face Queensland. And one good thing for NSW is that all-rounder Jack Edwards has recovered from a hamstring injury. Lyon's absence means that leg spinner Tanvir Sangha will be able to return to the eleven.
Mitchell Swepson will captain Queensland while Marnus Labuschagne will play in the ODIs. Jimmy Pearson will be the wicketkeeper in Australia A's second match next week.
South Australia are also missing key players, with Nathan McSweeney captaining Australia A while fast bowlers Jordan Buckingham, Brendan Doggett and Nathan McAndrew are in the squad. Alex Carey, who has been in great form, will captain against Victoria.
New South Wales team- Jackson Bird, Ollie Davis, Jack Edwards, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hadlee, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques (captain), Nick Maddinson, Blake Nikitaras, Curtis Patterson, Tanveer Sangha.
Queensland team- Mitchell Swepson (captain), Jack Clayton, Benji Floros, Liam Guthrie, Lachlan Hearn, Usman Khawaja, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Jimmy Pearson, Matthew Renshaw, Jack Sinfield, Tom Straker, Jack Wildermuth.
South Australia team- Alex Carey (captain), Harry Conway, Daniel Drew, Henry Hunt, Thomas Kelly, Jake Lehmann, Ben Manenti, Connor McInerney, Lloyd Pope, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Henry Thornton.