Sheffield Shield Cricket

The Sheffield Shield is the domestic first-class cricket competition of Australia. The tournament is contested between teams from the six states of Australia. Prior to the Shield being established, a number of intercolonial matches were played. The Shield, donated by Lord Sheffield, was first contested during the 1892–93 season, between New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. Queensland was admitted for the 1926–27 season, Western Australia for the 1947–48 season and Tasmania for the 1977–78 season.

The competition is contested in a double-round robin format, with each team playing every other team in two home-and-away matches. Points are awarded based on wins, losses, draws and ties, with the top two teams playing a final at the end of the season. Regular matches last for four days; the final lasts for five days. New South Wales have won the most titles, with 45 overall.

Sheffield Shield
Countries	Australia
Administrator	Cricket Australia
Format	first-class
First tournament	1892–93
Tournament format	Double round-robin, then final
Number of teams	6
Current champion	Tasmania
Most successful	New South Wales (45 titles)
Most runs	Darren Lehmann (South Australia) 13,635 runs
Most wickets	Clarrie Grimmett (Victoria andSouth Australia) 513 wickets

History

In 1891–92 the Earl of Sheffield was in Australia as the promoter of the English team led by W. G. Grace. The tour included three Tests played in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.

At the conclusion of the tour, Lord Sheffield donated £150 to the New South Wales Cricket Association to fund a trophy for an annual tournament of intercolonial cricket in Australia. The three colonies of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia were already playing each other in ad hoc matches. The new tournament commenced in the summer of 1892/93, mandating home and away fixtures between each colony each season. The three teams competed for the Sheffield Shield, named after its benefactor. A Polish immigrant,Phillip Blashki, won the competition to design the trophy, a 43 x 30-inch (760 mm) silver shield.

The competition therefore commenced some 15 years after Australia's first Test match.

Sponsorship and name changes

In 1999, the Australian Cricket Board (now Cricket Australia) announced a four-year sponsorship deal which included renaming the Sheffield Shield to the Pura Milk Cup, then to the Pura Cup the following season. Pura is a brand name of National Foods, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Philippines-based San Miguel Corporation. The sponsorship increased total annual prize money to A$220,000, with the winners receiving A$75,000 and the runners up A$45,000.

Although the competition had previously been running with losses of several million dollars per annum, cricket traditionalists protested strongly, arguing against the encroaching wave of commercialism damaging the competition that had been running for over 100 years. The competition continued to be referred to by some fans as the "Shield" as force of habit, a subtle protest, or simply to differentiate it from the one-day domestic competition.

On 16 July 2008 it was announced that Weet-Bix would take over sponsorship of the competition from the start of the 2008–09 season, and that the name would revert to the "Sheffield Shield" or the "Sheffield Shield presented by Weet-Bix". Weet-bix is a cereal biscuit manufactured by Sanitarium Health Food Company.

In the 2011-12 season, Bupa took over the sponsorship for the competition.

Teams

	Team name (sponsored name)	Home ground[a]	First season	Last title	Titles
	New South Wales (SpeedBlitz Blues)	Sydney Cricket Ground	1892–93	2007–08	45
	Queensland (XXXX Gold Queensland Bulls)	Brisbane Cricket Ground	1926–27	2011–12	7
	South Australia (West End Redbacks)	Adelaide Oval	1892–93	1995–96	13
	Tasmania (PKF Tasmanian Tigers)	Bellerive Oval	1977–78	2012–13	3
	Victoria (Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers)	Melbourne Cricket Ground	1892–93	2009–10	28
	Western Australia (Alcohol. Think Again Warriors)	WACA Ground	1947–48	1998–99	15

^a Each team has used several venues to host matches. For a full list, see list of cricket grounds in Australia.

Competition format

Each side has played each other both home and away every season with the following exceptions:

• South Australia and Victoria played only once in 1901/02.
• Queensland and South Australia played only once in 1926/27.
• Western Australia played each team only once from their debut in 1946/47 until 1955/56 inclusive.
• Tasmania played each team only once from their debut in 1977/78 until 1981/82 inclusive.

Where the teams played an unequal number of games, their final points were calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Matches were timeless (i.e. played to an outright result, weather and schedule permitting) up to 1926/27. A 4-day time limit has applied since 1927/28.

Since 1982/83, the top two teams after the 10 home and away rounds have met in a final. The team with the most points hosts the final against the second ranked team. The match is played at the home ground of the top ranked team, and they only need to draw/tie that match to win the title.

Points system

A number of different systems have been used over the years. Currently, points are awarded for each match during the home and away season according to the following table.

Result	Points
A win (irrespective of the first innings result)	6
A tie (irrespective of the first innings result)	3
A first innings lead in a drawn or lost match	2
A first innings tie in a drawn or lost match	1
A loss on the first innings	0
An outright loss after being behind on the first innings	0
Abandoned or drawn matches with no first innings result	0

• Quotient (team's batting average divided by its bowling average) is used to separate teams which finish on an equal number of points.
• Teams can be penalised points for failing to maintain an adequate over rate.

Previous systems

• The original format was a nonsensical challenge system which would have meant that the winner of the last game of the season won the Shield, regardless of other results; the folly of such a system was soon identified and it was changed to a most-wins formula prior to the conclusion of the first season.
• The quotient has been used as a tie-breaker for teams on equal points since 1893/94.
• First innings points were introduced in 1932/33 and used until 1970/71.
• Bonus points for first innings batting and bowling were used from 1971/72 to 1980/81 inclusive. During the first 100 (8-ball) overs of each side's first innings, a maximum of 10 batting bonus points could be attained. They were awarded for every 25 runs scored from 175 to 400 inclusive. A maximum of 5 bowling bonus points were available, initially upon capture of the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and last wickets. This was later changed to wickets 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 as batting teams often declared when 9 wickets down to deny the bowling side the additional bonus point.

Competition placings

Prior to the introduction of a Final in 1982/83, the team with most points after the home and away rounds was declared the winner. With the introduction of the Final, the top team hosts the second placed team in a five-day match. The visiting team must win the Final to win the championship; the home team wins the championship in the event of a tied or drawn Final. Further details including match scorecards are available at Cricinfo and the Cricket Archive.

1892/93 to 1914/15

•  % – indicates tied for position

Season	Winner	Second	Third
1892–93	Victoria	South Australia %	New South Wales %
1893–94	South Australia	New South Wales	Victoria
1894–95	Victoria	South Australia	New South Wales
1895–96	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia
1896–97	New South Wales	South Australia	Victoria
1897–98	Victoria	South Australia	New South Wales
1898–99	Victoria	New South Wales	South Australia
1899-00	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia
1900–01	Victoria	New South Wales	South Australia
1901–02	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia
1902–03	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia
1903–04	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia
1904–05	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia
1905–06	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia
1906–07	New South Wales	South Australia	Victoria
1907–08	Victoria	South Australia	New South Wales
1908–09	New South Wales	South Australia	Victoria
1909–10	South Australia	New South Wales	Victoria
1910–11	New South Wales	South Australia	Victoria
1911–12	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia
1912–13	South Australia	New South Wales	Victoria
1913–14	New South Wales	South Australia	Victoria
1914–15	Victoria	New South Wales	South Australia

1915/16 to 1918/19

Not contested due to World War I

1919/20 to 1939/40

Season	Winner	Second	Third	Fourth
1919–20	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia
1920–21	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia
1921–22	Victoria	New South Wales	South Australia
1922–23	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia
1923–24	Victoria	New South Wales	South Australia
1924–25	Victoria	New South Wales	South Australia
1925–26	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia
1926–27	South Australia	Victoria	New South Wales	Queensland
1927–28	Victoria	South Australia	New South Wales	Queensland
1928–29	New South Wales	Victoria	Queensland	South Australia
1929–30	Victoria	New South Wales	South Australia	Queensland
1930–31	Victoria	New South Wales	Queensland	South Australia
1931–32	New South Wales	South Australia	Victoria	Queensland
1932–33	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia	Queensland
1933–34	Victoria	New South Wales	South Australia	Queensland
1934–35	Victoria	New South Wales	South Australia	Queensland
1935–36	South Australia	New South Wales	Victoria	Queensland
1936–37	Victoria	South Australia	New South Wales	Queensland
1937–38	New South Wales	South Australia	Victoria	Queensland
1938–39	South Australia	Victoria	Queensland	New South Wales
1939–40	New South Wales	South Australia	Victoria	Queensland

1940/41 to 1945/46

Not contested due to World War II

1946/47 to 1981/82

Season	Winner	Second	Third	Fourth	Fifth	Sixth
1946–47	Victoria	New South Wales	Queensland	South Australia
1947–48	Western Australia	New South Wales	South Australia	Queensland	Victoria
1948–49	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia	Queensland	Western Australia
1949–50	New South Wales	Victoria	Western Australia	Queensland	South Australia
1950–51	Victoria	New South Wales	Western Australia	Queensland	South Australia
1951–52	New South Wales	Victoria	Queensland	South Australia	Western Australia
1952–53	South Australia	New South Wales	Victoria	Western Australia	Queensland
1953–54	New South Wales	Victoria	Queensland	South Australia	Western Australia
1954–55	New South Wales	Victoria	Western Australia	Queensland	South Australia
1955–56	New South Wales	Victoria	Queensland	Western Australia	South Australia
1956–57	New South Wales	Queensland	Victoria	Western Australia	South Australia
1957–58	New South Wales	Victoria	Queensland	Western Australia	South Australia
1958–59	New South Wales	Queensland	Victoria	Western Australia	South Australia
1959–60	New South Wales	Victoria	Western Australia	Queensland	South Australia
1960–61	New South Wales	Victoria	Western Australia	Queensland	South Australia
1961–62	New South Wales	Queensland	South Australia	Victoria	Western Australia
1962–63	Victoria	South Australia	New South Wales	Western Australia	Queensland
1963–64	South Australia	Victoria	New South Wales	Queensland	Western Australia
1964–65	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia	Western Australia	Queensland
1965–66	New South Wales	Western Australia	South Australia	Victoria	Queensland
1966–67	Victoria	South Australia	New South Wales	Western Australia	Queensland
1967–68	Western Australia	Victoria	South Australia	New South Wales	Queensland
1968–69	South Australia	Western Australia	Queensland	Victoria	New South Wales
1969–70	Victoria	Western Australia	New South Wales	South Australia	Queensland
1970–71	South Australia	Victoria	Western Australia	New South Wales	Queensland
1971–72	Western Australia	South Australia	New South Wales	Victoria	Queensland
1972–73	Western Australia	South Australia	New South Wales	Victoria	Queensland
1973–74	Victoria	Queensland	New South Wales	Western Australia	South Australia
1974–75	Western Australia	Queensland	Victoria	New South Wales	South Australia
1975–76	South Australia	Queensland	Western Australia	New South Wales	Victoria
1976–77	Western Australia	Victoria	Queensland	New South Wales	South Australia
1977–78	Western Australia	Queensland	Victoria	South Australia	New South Wales	Tasmania
1978–79	Victoria	Western Australia	New South Wales	Queensland	South Australia	Tasmania
1979–80	Victoria	South Australia	New South Wales	Queensland	Western Australia	Tasmania
1980–81	Western Australia	New South Wales	Queensland	Victoria	Tasmania	South Australia
1981–82	South Australia	New South Wales	Western Australia	Tasmania	Queensland	Victoria

1982/83 to date

Season	Winner	Second	Third	Fourth	Fifth	Sixth
1982–83	New South Wales	Western Australia	South Australia	Tasmania	Queensland	Victoria
1983–84	Western Australia	Queensland	Tasmania	New South Wales	South Australia	Victoria
1984–85	New South Wales	Queensland	South Australia	Western Australia	Victoria	Tasmania
1985–86	New South Wales	Queensland	Victoria	Western Australia	South Australia	Tasmania
1986–87	Western Australia	Victoria	Queensland	South Australia	New South Wales	Tasmania
1987–88	Western Australia	Queensland	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia	Tasmania
1988–89	Western Australia	South Australia	Queensland	New South Wales	Tasmania	Victoria
1989–90	New South Wales	Queensland	South Australia	Tasmania	Western Australia	Victoria
1990–91	Victoria	New South Wales	Queensland	Western Australia	South Australia	Tasmania
1991–92	Western Australia	New South Wales	Victoria	Queensland	South Australia	Tasmania
1992–93	New South Wales	Queensland	Western Australia	South Australia	Tasmania	Victoria
1993–94	New South Wales	Tasmania	Western Australia	Victoria	South Australia	Queensland
1994–95	Queensland	South Australia	Victoria	Western Australia	New South Wales	Tasmania
1995–96	South Australia	Western Australia	Queensland	Tasmania	New South Wales	Victoria
1996–97	Queensland	Western Australia	New South Wales	Tasmania	Victoria	South Australia
1997–98	Western Australia	Tasmania	Queensland	New South Wales	Victoria	South Australia
1998–99	Western Australia	Queensland	Victoria	South Australia	Tasmania	New South Wales
1999-00	Queensland	Victoria	Western Australia	South Australia	Tasmania	New South Wales
2000–01	Queensland	Victoria	New South Wales	Tasmania	Western Australia	South Australia
2001–02	Queensland	Tasmania	Western Australia	South Australia	Victoria	New South Wales
2002–03	New South Wales	Queensland	Victoria	South Australia	Western Australia	Tasmania
2003–04	Victoria	Queensland	Tasmania	Western Australia	New South Wales	South Australia
2004–05	New South Wales	Queensland	Western Australia	Victoria	South Australia	Tasmania
2005–06	Queensland	Victoria	South Australia	Tasmania	Western Australia	New South Wales
2006–07	Tasmania	New South Wales	Victoria	Queensland	Western Australia	South Australia
2007–08	New South Wales	Victoria	Western Australia	Tasmania	South Australia	Queensland
2008–09	Victoria	Queensland	South Australia	Tasmania	Western Australia	New South Wales
2009–10	Victoria	Queensland	New South Wales	Western Australia	Tasmania	South Australia
2010–11	Tasmania	New South Wales	Queensland	Western Australia	Victoria	South Australia
2011–12	Queensland	Tasmania	Victoria	Western Australia	New South Wales	South Australia
2012–13	Tasmania	Queensland	New South Wales	Victoria	Western Australia	South Australia

Player of the year

The Player of the Year award is announced at the end of each season. Since its inception in 1976 it has been awarded to the best-performed player/s over the season, as determined a panel of judges. Victorian and South Australian batsman Matthew Elliott has won the award the most times, being awarded Player of the Year on three separate occasions.

Season	Winner(s)
1975–76	Ian Chappell (SA), Greg Chappell (QLD)
1976–77	Richie Robinson (VIC)
1977–78	David Ogilvie (QLD)
1978–79	Peter Sleep (SA)
1979–80	Ian Chappell (SA)
1980–81	Greg Chappell (QLD)
1981–82	Kepler Wessels (QLD)
1982–83	Kim Hughes (WA)
1983–84	Brian Davison (TAS), John Dyson (NSW)
1984–85	David Boon (TAS)
1985–86	Allan Border (QLD)
1986–87	Craig McDermott (QLD)
1987–88	Dirk Tazelaar (QLD), Mark Waugh (NSW)
1988–89	Tim May (SA)
1989–90	Mark Waugh (NSW)
1990–91	Stuart Law (QLD)
1991–92	Tony Dodemaide (VIC)
1992–93	Jamie Siddons (SA)
1993–94	Matthew Hayden (QLD)
1994–95	Dean Jones (VIC)
1995–96	Matthew Elliott (VIC)
1996–97	Andy Bichel (QLD)
1997–98	Dene Hills (TAS)
1998–99	Matthew Elliott (VIC)
1999-00	Darren Lehmann (SA)
2000–01	Jamie Cox (TAS)
2001–02	Brad Hodge (VIC), Jimmy Maher (QLD)
2002–03	Clinton Perren (QLD)
2003–04	Matthew Elliott (VIC)
2004–05	Michael Bevan (TAS)
2005–06	Andy Bichel (QLD)
2006–07	Chris Rogers (WA)
2007–08	Simon Katich (NSW)
2008–09	Phillip Hughes (NSW)
2009–10	Chris Hartley (QLD)
2010–11	James Hopes (QLD)
2011–12	Jackson Bird (Tas)
2012–13	Ricky Ponting (Tas)

Records

Individual records

Most matches played

Rank	Matches	Player	Period
1	161	Jamie Cox (TAS)	1987–88 – 2005–06
2	159	John Inverarity (WA/SA)	1962–63 – 1984–85
3	147	Darren Lehmann (SA/VIC)	1987–88 – 2007–08
4	146	Jamie Siddons (VIC/SA)	1984–85 – 1999-00
5	142	Stuart Law (QLD)	1987–88 – 2003–04

Players representing three states

Player	Career	States	Matches
Graeme Watson	1964-65 – 1976-77	NSW, Vic, WA	60
Gary Cosier	1971-72 – 1980-81	Vic, SA, Qld	46
Trevor Chappell	1972-73 – 1984-85	NSW, SA, WA	63
Rod McCurdy	1980-81 – 1984-85	SA, Tas, Vic	33
Dirk Wellham	1980-81 – 1991-92	NSW, Qld, Tas	99
Michael Bevan	1989-90 – 2006-07	SA, NSW, Tas	118
Shane Watson	2000-01 – 2009-10	Tas, Qld, NSW	81

Source: A Century of Summers: 100 years of Sheffield Shield cricket, Geoff Armstrong, p. 278. Last updated: 30 Nov 2008.

Team records

Team results

Rank	Team	Entered	Matches	Won	Lost	Drawn	Tied	% Won
1	New South Wales	1892–93	793	337	224	231	1	42.49
2	Victoria	1892–93	786	302	226	257	1	38.42
3	Western Australia	1947–48	557	193	172	192	0	34.64
4	Queensland	1926–27	678	206	232	239	1	30.38
5	South Australia	1892–93	779	215	356	207	1	27.59
6	Tasmania	1977–78	331	79	122	130	0	23.86
Win percentage now includes drawn matches.

Highest team totals

Rank	Total	Team	Opponent	Venue	Season
1	1107	Victoria	New South Wales	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne	1926–27
2	918	New South Wales	South Australia	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	1900–01
3	900-6d	Queensland	Victoria	Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane	2005–06
4	821-7d	South Australia	Queensland	Adelaide Oval, Adelaide	1939–40
5	815	New South Wales	Victoria	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	1908–09

Lowest team totals

Rank	Total	Team	Opponent	Venue	Season
1	27	South Australia	New South Wales	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	1955–56
2	29	South Australia	New South Wales	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	2004-05
3	31	Victoria	New South Wales	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne	1906–07
4	35	Victoria	New South Wales	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	1926–27
5	41	Western Australia	South Australia	Adelaide Oval, Adelaide	1989–90

Batting records

Highest individual scores

Rank	Runs	Player	Match	Venue	Season
1	452*	Don Bradman (NSW)	New South Wales v Queensland	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	1929–30
2	437	Bill Ponsford (VIC)	Victoria v Queensland	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne	1927–28
3	365*	Clem Hill (SA)	South Australia v New South Wales	Adelaide Oval, Adalaide	1900–01
4	359	Bob Simpson (NSW)	New South Wales v Queensland	Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane	1963–64
5	357	Don Bradman (SA)	South Australia v Victoria	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne	1935–36

Most career runs

Rank	Runs	Player	Career
1	13,635 (266 inns.)	Darren Lehmann (SA/VIC)	1987–88 – 2007–08
2	10,821 (295 inns.)	Jamie Cox (TAS)	1987–88 – 2005–06
3	10,643 (259 inns.)	Jamie Siddons (VIC/SA)	1984–85 – 1999-00
4	10,621 (211 inns.)	Michael Bevan (SA/NSW/TAS)	1989–90 – 2006–07
5	10,474 (254 inns.)	Brad Hodge (VIC)	1993–94 – 2009–10

Most runs in a season

Rank	Runs	Player	Average	Season
1	1,506 (17 inns.)	Simon Katich (NSW)	94.12	2007–08
2	1,464 (18 inns.)	Michael Bevan (TAS)	97.60	2004–05
3	1,381 (20 inns.)	Matthew Elliott (VIC)	81.23	2003–04
4	1,254 (18 inns.)	Graham Yallop (VIC)	69.66	1982–83
5	1,240 (20 inns.)	Michael Bevan (NSW)	82.66	1993–94

Highest batting averages

Rank	Average	Player	Career
1	110.19 (96 inns.)	Don Bradman (NSW/SA)	1927–28 – 1948–49
2	83.27 (70 inns.)	Bill Ponsford (VIC)	1920–21 – 1933–34
3	70.88 (95 inns.)	Alan Kippax (NSW)	1918–19 – 1935–36
4	68.00 (81 inns.)	Monty Noble (NSW)	1893–94 – 1919–20
5	67.03 (64 inns.)	Bill Woodfull (VIC)	1921–22 – 1933–34
Qualification: 20 innings.

Most centuries

Rank	Centuries	Player	Matches
1	45	Darren Lehmann (SA/VIC)	147
2	42	Michael Bevan (SA/NSW/TAS)	118
3	36	Don Bradman (NSW/SA)	62
4	32	Matthew Elliott (VIC/SA)	122
5	31	Dean Jones (VIC)	110

Bowling records

Most career wickets

Rank	Wickets	Player	Matches	Average
1	513	Clarrie Grimmett (VIC/SA)	79	25.29
2	441	Michael Kasprowicz (QLD)	101	24.56
3	430	Andy Bichel (QLD)	89	23.24
4	419	Jo Angel (WA)	105	24.86
5	384	Terry Alderman (WA)	97	24.21

Most wickets in a season

Rank	Wickets	Player	Matches	Season
1	67	Colin Miller (TAS)	11	1997–98
2	65	Shaun Tait (SA)	10	2004–05
3	60	Chuck Fleetwood-Smith (VIC)	6	1934–35
4	60	Andy Bichel (QLD)	11	2004–05
5	60	Ben Hilfenhaus (TAS)	11	2006–07

Best career average

Rank	Average	Player	Balls	Wickets
1	17.10	Bill O'Reilly (NSW)	10,740	203
2	17.74	Joel Garner (SA)	2,419	55
3	17.87	Geff Noblet (SA)	11,156	190
4	18.09	Pat Crawford (NSW)	2,517	61
5	19.08	CTB Turner (NSW)	3,920	73
Qualification: 2000 balls bowled.

Wicket-keeping records

Most dismissals

Rank	Dismissals	Player	Matches
1	546 (499 c. 47 st.)	Darren Berry (SA/VIC)	139
2	488 (474 c. 14 st.)	Wade Seccombe (QLD)	101
3	351 (342 c. 9 st.)	Chris Hartley (QLD)	79
4	350 (322 c. 28 st.)	Tim Zoehrer (WA)	107
5	344 (311 c. 33 st.)	Rod Marsh (WA)	86