The Sheffield Shield final has had four draws in the last six years, and Cricket Australia have tinkered with the rules to avoid a repeat when the 2018-19 final gets underway on Thursday between Victoria and New South Wales at the Junction Oval. In a bid to stop the home team providing a flat, lifeless pitch and attempting to bat for five days and draw the match, bonus points will now come into the equation under the system which has been used for the past couple of regular seasons. If the match lasts 270 overs or more – the equivalent of three full days of cricket – the side which has gained more bonus points in the game will be crowned champions. Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Reddit Email Share Of course, if either team achieves an outright result, that will stand and bonus points won’t come into it. How are bonus points awarded? The system will be the same as the one used throughout the season. In the first 100 overs of the first innings for each side, 0.01 points will be awarded for each run scored past 200, and 0.1 points will be awarded for every wicket taken. Essentially, it rewards aggressive cricket within the first hundred overs. If a team scored 400, they’d have two whole bonus points, plus whatever they earned for their bowling effort. Here is how the last drawn final in 2017 would have played out if the bonus points system was in effect, to give an example of the system. Advertisement Advertisement Victoria: 487 (166.2) and 323 (122.5) defeat South Australia: 287 (84.3) and 6/236 (65) Taking the first innings into account only, Victoria were 6 for 349 after 100 overs, while South Australia were all out in 84.3. It means Victoria would have received 1.49 bonus points for their batting, and 1 for their bowling. South Australia, on the other hand, would have received 0.6 for bowling, and just 0.87 for their batting, meaning Victoria would have been well ahead. However, the game would probably be played differently under these changed rules. Cricket Australia head of operations Peter Roach said it should provide a much more exciting final. “We wished to ensure the match is a fitting finale to our marquee men’s domestic competition,” said Roach. “The previous rule was not consistent with how this competition is generally played. “The rule will be trialled this year, and we believe it will encourage the teams involved to push for a result and improve the spectacle in the tournament’s showcase match.” Advertisement Advertisement What about the weather? The forecast for Melbourne is luckily pretty good for most of the five days, with the only real threat of rain hanging around on Day 2 (Friday). If rain does intervene, then the bonus points system only becomes applicable after 270 overs of cricket have been completed. The Sheffield Shield final gets underway at 10:30am (AEDT) on Thursday, March 28.<doc-sep>New South Wales finally got its man late but Victorian opener Marcus Harris already did plenty of damage on day one of the Sheffield Shield final. New South Wales finally got its man late but Victorian opener Marcus Harris already did plenty of damage on day one of the Sheffield Shield final. The Test incumbent all but had his Ashes ticket stamped at Junction Oval on Thursday as he scored 141 off 229 to put his Victorian side in the driver’s seat. It was remarkably his third Shield final century. NSW’s quicks kept the underdogs in touch though, with Victoria ending the day at 6-266. Live stream Pakistan v Australia ODI Series on KAYO SPORTS. Every match live HD on your TV or favourite device. Get your 14 day free trial > ULTIMATE GUIDE: Everything you need to know about the Shield final SELECTION SHOCK: Axe looming for veteran in surprise final shake-up Harris and Travis Dean (23) started well, putting on 63 runs for the opening partnership until the latter nicked off in the 23rd over to Conway. That brought Will Pucovski to the crease who survived some close calls on his way to 17 before he was trapped in front by Trent Copeland just after lunch. The day’s most controversial moment then stuck, as Copeland picked up his second in dubious circumstances. He overstepped his crease when Seb Gotch (2) was caught in the slips but the umpire didn’t notice and failed to call no-ball. The mini-collapse after lunch continued when veteran Cam White (7) drove on the up to Sean Abbott and was caught in the covers. That wicket saw Victoria lose 3-21. Harris pushed on though and scored his third century of the season in the final session. He was eventually caught in the slips off Sean Abbott. Matt Short (34) was the only other wicket of the day, caught behind off Moises Henriques. TEAMS Victoria: Travis Dean (c), Marcus Harris, Will Pucovski, Cameron White, Matt Short, Seb Gotch (wk), James Pattinson, Chris Tremain, Peter Siddle, Scott Boland, Jon Holland NSW: Nick Larkin, Daniel Hughes, Kurtis Patterson, Moises Henriques, Jason Sangha, Jack Edwards, Peter Nevill (c/wk), Trent Copeland, Sean Abbott, Stephen O’Keefe, Harry Conway Tap here if the blog does not load above! PREVIEW After winning three of the past four Sheffield Shield titles, Victoria already has a firm grip on its status as the country’s premier domestic men’s cricket state but victory in this week’s final over New South Wales will give it an indisputable claim. It has been 16 years since a state won both the Shield and the one-day cup in the same year. Victoria will do just that if it triumphs over NSW, which was coincidentally the last team to do it back in 2002-03 under Steve Waugh. Coached by Andrew McDonald and captained by Travis Dean, Victoria has every right to feel confident heading into the five-day affair at Junction Oval and broadcast live on Fox Cricket. Alongside boasting the experience that comes with a hat-trick of Shield titles between 2014 and 2017, Victoria also start the match as firm favourites after dominating the regular season. The Victorians finished the season with a healthy 11.26-point lead over second-placed NSW, and registered two of their six wins over the same opponents. Their lone first-class defeat for the summer came at the hands of Queensland at the Gabba. In other words, they are unbeaten at home. However, that spotless record is not as great a concern as it once would have been for NSW. For this summer at least, a draw will not be enough for Victoria to be crowned champions, with the match to be decided by bonus points if it does not reach a natural conclusion and at least 270 overs are played. Victoria has won three of the past four Sheffield Shield titles. Source: Getty Images Under the system a team is awarded 0.01 bonus points for every run it scores above 200 in the first 100 overs of its first innings with the bat, and 0.1 points for each wicket it takes in the first 100 overs of its first innings with the ball. Both captains will leave crucial selection decisions until after a pitch inspection on the opening morning of the final. The table-topping Vics suffered a blow with in-form batsman Nic Maddinson ruled out with a fractured thumb suffered in last week’s win over South Australia. Cameron White, Sam Harper and Eamonn Vines were added to a 14-man squad, with White appearing the logical replacement. Dean admitted to some concern over his own form before he struck his first half- century since Christmas against the Redbacks. What they’re playing for. Source: AAP “I’ve been lean on runs, to get runs any time is great especially when you’re down as much as I have been,” Dean told reporters on Wednesday. “Any time you get runs leading into a big game it’s a good confidence booster. “Everybody has got a few nerves leading in, so to get some runs and back myself in is good for me.” A replacement for Maddinson isn’t the only consideration for Victoria, who have experimented with four quicks and spinner Jon Holland as well as playing an extra batsman at the expense of one of the seamers in recent games. Despite two defeats against the Vics in the season, Nevill said his side will enter the contest full of confidence after a strong finish. Nevill, who missed last week’s win over Tasmania to be at the birth of his first child, and spinner Stephen O’Keefe were added to the extended squad. Nevill will take the gloves from Baxter Holt, while O’Keefe’s recovery from a hamstring injury will force a further rethink on the line-up. “It’s been a very eventful week but the timing has worked out very well,” Nevill said of the birth of his daughter. “I’ve been drinking a lot of coffee and sleeping on a little fold-out mattress in the hospital, but I’m feeling really good. “I had a good hit on (Tuesday) in Sydney so I’m feeling well prepared.”<doc-sep>The Sheffield Shield final has been plunged into controversy due to the lack of technology. Victoria started cautiously, getting to 1/103 in the 36th over before NSW quick Trent Copeland struck to take two wickets in quick succession. The 33-year-old first-class veteran stuck with a ball that kept low, dismissing Will Pucovski for 17 but it was his second wicket that added the controversy. Copeland, who finished the Shield’s second highest wicket taker with 46 at 19.10 in the regular season, bowled a nice outswinger to catch the outside edge of Seb Gotch with Jack Edwards moving across to take a sharp chance at third slip. But the NSW quick was a long way over the line and it should have been a no ball. WICKET Gotch edges to the slips off Trent Copeland... but it's a NO-BALL. Umpires miss it and he's gone. 3-114. 📺 Watch LIVE on Fox Cricket & 📰 join our live blog: https://t.co/UHu5Z9MNAZ #ShieldFinal pic.twitter.com/6QkahLa5mJ — Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) March 28, 2019 It was the last thing Victoria wanted with Sean Abbott then adding a third wicket for just 21 runs to restrict the home side to 4/124. The innings was salvaged as Marcus Harris smashed a century, with Matt Short helping to steady the ship. But cricket legends in Fox Sports commentary were less than impressed by the decision with the clear no ball skipping the gaze of the umpire. Andrew Symonds said “That’s a big overstep, there was nothing even near the line there.” For Darren Lehmann, he was frustrated by the decision with Ian Healy bringing up the availability of technology not being used in the game. “That’s certainly not out,” Lehmann said on Fox Cricket. “Get the square leg umpire to call no-balls, square leg umpire doesn’t do anything. “The game can always fund that camera, have a camera on the crease so they can use it for their own good,” Healy added. “In the history of the game, those sort of no-balls have been missed plenty and there’s been dismissals from them. “I don’t think the umpires are looking at no-balls as much as they once did because they don’t have to at international level — they get reviewed.” In an interview as he came off the field for tea, Copeland was asked about the dismissal and couldn’t help getting in a little dig. “Thankfully Blocker was asleep on that one,” he said. Playing at the Junction Oval, The Age’s Daniel Cherny reported Cricket Australia saying the playing conditions didn’t allow the use of the technology. Trent Copeland on Fox about the Gotch lbw. “Thankfully Blocker was asleep on that one” CA have said playing conditions don't allow no-balls to be called by the third umpire. — Daniel Cherny 📰 (@DanielCherny) March 28, 2019 "Thankfully Blocker was asleep on that one" Trent Copeland after being told his dismissal of Seb Gotch was a no-ball. #ShieldFinal #VICvNSW — Rick Eyre on cricket (@rickeyrecricket) March 28, 2019 Wow. @FoxCricket replay shows Seb Gotch was dismissed from a clear no ball. Big moment. Vics 3-114. #SheffieldShield — Tom Morris (@tommorris32) March 28, 2019 Copeland gets Gotch with a massive no ball. What AFL blooper would you compare this with @sjjperry? — Richard Hinds (@rdhinds) March 28, 2019 TEA at the Junction Oval but Sheffield Shield mired in controversy after third umpire failed to view vision and call a big no-ball which dismissed Victoria's Seb Gotch - Vics 4-172 at the break @heraldsunsport — Russell Gould (@gouldyheraldsun) March 28, 2019 HARRIS’ ASHES AUDITION After a summer of Test cricket, Marcus Harris is desperate not to give it up. The diminutive opener was one of the finds of the summer against India but interest waned late when he had some struggles against Sri Lanka. Coming back to Sheffield Shield however, his form has been irresistible. He’s hit a century and three fifties, two of which were 90s, to show his intention to be part of Australia’s Ashes campaign. And with Victoria losing early wickets, Harris stood up tall, slamming a century just after tea. He was finally dismissed, edging Sean Abbott to slip for 141 off 229 balls. Speaking on Fox Cricket, Andrew Symonds said Harris has put his hand up but it’ll be a pretty big decision after Joe Burns’ 180 in his last Test against Sri Lanka. “The selectors stated the fact that they wanted to see them make big scores and be consistent scorers and that’s excatly what he’s done,” he said. “He’s done his bit and hopefully he can convert that to the Test arena.” Mel Jones was more eager to give an opinion, saying Harris has locked himself in for the Ashes squad. Speaking to The Herald Sun earlier in the week, Harris said he’s hoping he’s done enough to keep his spot for Australia. “With the Ashes being so far away, the Australia A series will be heavily weighted, so you have to wait and see how people perform in that,” Harris said. “There’s only two spots at the top of the order and I dare say David Warner has probably got one of them. It will be a tight squeeze, but whoever is making runs will take the position. I feel like I have been doing everything I can do to try and keep my spot in that side.” Harris has been in incredible Shield form, hitting 1024 runs at 68.26 in 16 innings, one of only two players to pass 1000 runs alongside Matthew Wade (1021). So dominant were the two players that Alex Doolan was back in third with 761 runs. Harris is also loving playing at Junction Oval, with 520 runs in three Shield games. 520 - @VicStateCricket's Marcus Harris has scored 520 runs in his previous three Sheffield Shield games at Junction Oval in St Kilda, posting two centuries and two further scores of 90+ in that span. Patch.#ShieldFinal pic.twitter.com/3ubwfYBwP0 — OptaJason (@OptaJason) March 28, 2019 It’s also his third century in a Shield Final, cementing his reputation as a big game player. The 2018/19 Sheffield Shield Final will be live and on demand on Kayo Sports.<doc-sep>WA’s Sheffield Shield dream is over, with the Warriors missing out on reaching the final after NSW’s win. The Blues reached their first Shield final for five years after an incredible spell of bowling from Sean Abbott demolished Tasmania on day four at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval. Needing a victory to stave off Western Australia’s push for a berth in the final, the Blues were facing a nervous final day on Saturday but instead came away with a comfortable 149-run winning margin. Despite Tasmania showing plenty of batting resolve in recent matches, the home side crumbled and were removed for 120 within a session. Abbott was the chief destroyer, picking a perfect time to return career-best figures of 7-45 as Tasmania chased an achievable target of 270. NSW elected to declare overnight at 5-149 after Western Australia grabbed a temporary hold on second spot with their three-day win over Queensland. Tasmania’s in-form top-order were immediately in trouble, with Abbott’s seaming deliveries reducing the home side to 5-23. Matthew Wade scored 65 and was the only recognised batman to reach double figures. Abbott duly combined with Trent Copeland (2-31) to roll through the tail as Tasmania were dismissed before the end of an elongated morning session. NSW will meet Victoria in the five-day Shield final which commences next Thursday at Melbourne’s Junction Oval.<doc-sep>
A fourth Shield in five years for Victoria or a first in six for New South Wales. This week’s blockbuster Sheffield Shield final pits the country’s two most successful states against one another, with 77 titles shared between the two of them. Victoria cannot overtake the Blues this week — NSW has won the competition 46 time — but a win of any sort will reaffirm its status as the country’s premiere cricket state. Ahead of the final, starting Thursday at 10:30am, find out everything you need to know in our Ultimate Guide. THE FIXTURE Sheffield Shield final: Victoria vs New South Wales at Junction Oval, St Kilda, 10:30am, Thursday March 28 to April 1 HOW TO WATCH Watch the match live on Fox Cricket Ch 501 Live stream Pakistan v Australia ODI Series on KAYO SPORTS. Every match live HD on your TV or favourite device. Get your 14 day free trial > THE SHAKE-UP Earlier this year, Cricket Australia announced it would trial the use of a bonus point system in the Sheffield Shield final. For this summer at least a draw in the final will not be enough for Victoria to be crowned champions. Instead, as long as 270 overs have been bowled, a drawn final will be decided by the same bonus point system that has been implemented in the Sheffield Shield’s past four regular seasons. Under the system a team is awarded 0.01 bonus points for every run it scores above 200 in the first 100 overs of its first innings with the bat, and 0.1 points for each wicket it takes in the first 100 overs of its first innings with the ball. Victoria has won three of the past four Sheffield Shield titles. Source: Getty Images FORM While their ambitions have been bolstered by the use of bonus points in this year’s final, NSW will be up against it against Victoria. Victoria won six of its 10 matches for the season, with just one loss back in November against Queensland. It has won three of its four matches since the season resumed. The Blues just edged Western Australia to make the final, winning five of their 10 games, with three draws and two losses. Both losses were against Victoria, including one in the penultimate round of the regular season. Nevertheless, that loss to Victoria was NSW’s only poor performance in the second half of the Sheffield Shield season, with the Blues registering an innings-and-51-run win over WA, 174-run win over Queensland and 149-run win over Tasmania in their other three games. NSW has lost both its matches against Victoria this season. Source: AAP WATCH OUT FOR Marcus Harris Marcus Harris topped this season’s Shield run-scoring charts with 1024 runs at 68.26, and all signs point to him having a big say on this week’s final. The opener made his highest score of the season against NSW earlier this summer — and unbeaten 250 — and scored a century in the 2017 Shield final. Trent Copeland Thirty-three-year-old quick Trent Copeland has been at the heart of NSW’s charge to the final. The seamer has taken 44 wickets this season at an average of 18.65. Trent Copeland has taken 44 wickets this season. Source: AAP SQUADS Victoria Nic Maddinson’s broken thumb means Victorian veteran Cameron White is set to return for the Sheffield Shield final. Victoria confirmed on Monday that Maddinson was out of the final from Thursday at Junction Oval. The home side also added Sam Harper and Eamonn Vines to a 14-man squad for their fourth Shield final in five years. Squad: Travis Dean (capt), Scott Boland, Andrew Fekete, Seb Gotch, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Jon Holland, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Matt Short, Peter Siddle, Chris Tremain, Cameron White Cameron White is chasing a sixth Sheffield Shield title. Source: Getty Images New South Wales NSW have recalled captain Peter Nevill and O’Keefe who missed the last game because of a pregnancy and injury respectively, with Baxter Holt and Liam Hatcher dropping out. Squad: Peter Nevill (capt), Sean Abbott, Nick Bertus, Harry Conway, Trent Copeland, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Nick Larkin, Steve O’Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Jason Sangha, Greg West. – with AAP