# 2020–21 Sheffield Shield season

The 2020–21 Sheffield Shield season was the 119th season of the Sheffield Shield, the Australian domestic first-class cricket competition. On 26 June 2020, Cricket Australia confirmed all the squads for the 2020–21 domestic cricket season. Cricket Australia also confirmed that the tournament would use the Kookaburra ball for all the matches, after using the Duke ball since the 2016–17 season. New South Wales were the defending champions.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first four rounds of the season are being played at four venues in Adelaide. With further restrictions due to the pandemic in Australia, the first round match between New South Wales and Victoria was scheduled to take place from 17 November 2020, because of extra measures for people travelling into South Australia from Victoria. However, on 12 October 2020, Victoria's first two matches were postponed due to the extra quarantine restrictions.
Round three of the tournament saw a new record partnership set in a Sheffield Shield match. Marcus Harris and Will Pucovski of Victoria scored 486 runs for the first wicket, in the match against South Australia. The previous record was held by Mark and Steve Waugh, making 464 for New South Wales against Western Australia in the 1990–91 tournament.
On 16 December 2020, Cricket Australia confirmed the remaining schedule of the tournament, when the tournament was shortened by one round. On 10 February 2021, the tournament was shortened further by one round, with the final starting on 15 April 2021. Queensland won the tournament, beating New South Wales by an innings and 33 runs in the final.

## Points table

| Team | Pld | W | L | D | MA | BP | Pts |
| Queensland | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 11.17 | 33.17 |
| New South Wales | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 10.51 | 31.51 |
| Western Australia | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 11.37 | 28.37 |
| Tasmania | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13.11 | 28.11 |
| Victoria | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 9.76 | 21.76 |
| South Australia | 8 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 7.82 | 12.82 |

## Round-Robin stage
### Round 1

* 10–13 October 2020 Scorecard
* Western Australia won by 205 runs Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide Umpires: Michael Graham-Smith and Donovan Koch Player of the match: Ashton Agar (Western Australia)
* Western Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
* Lance Morris (Western Australia) made his first-class debut.
* Lloyd Pope (South Australia) became the first leg spinner in 50 years to take a five-wicket haul on the opening day of a Sheffield Shield season.
* Josh Inglis (Western Australia) scored his maiden first-class century.
* Ashton Agar (Western Australia) became the 28th player to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in the same Sheffield Shield match.
* 10–13 October 2020 Scorecard
* Queensland won by an innings and 59 runs Park 25, Adelaide Umpires: Bruce Oxenford and Darren Close Player of the match: Michael Neser (Queensland)
* Tasmania won the toss and elected to bat.
* Park 25 hosted its maiden first-class cricket match.
* Michael Neser (Queensland) scored his maiden first-class century. Neser also became the 27th player to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in the same Sheffield Shield match.
* 17–20 November 2020
* The match was postponed due to COVID-19 quarantine restrictions.

### Round 2

* 19–22 October 2020 Scorecard
* Match drawn Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide Umpires: Gerard Abood and Sam Nogajski Player of the match: Travis Head (South Australia)
* South Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
* 19–22 October 2020 Scorecard
* Match drawn Park 25, Adelaide Umpires: Paul Wilson and Darren Close Player of the match: Sean Abbott (New South Wales)
* Western Australia won the toss and elected to field.
* 22–25 October 2020
* Adelaide Oval No. 2, Adelaide
* The match was postponed due to COVID-19 quarantine restrictions.

### Round 3

* 30 October–2 November 2020 Scorecard
* Match drawn Park 25, Adelaide Umpires: Phillip Gillespie and Gerard Abood Player of the match: Shaun Marsh (Western Australia)
* Tasmania won the toss and elected to field.
* Shaun Marsh (Western Australia) scored his 30th century in first-class cricket.
* Lance Morris (Western Australia) took his maiden first-class five-wicket haul.
* 30 October–2 November 2020 Scorecard
* Match drawn ACH Group Stadium, Glenelg Umpires: Rod Tucker and Shawn Craig Player of the match: Will Pucovski (Victoria)
* South Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
* Zak Evans and Mitchell Perry (Victoria) both made their first-class debuts.
* Marcus Harris and Will Pucovski (Victoria) made the highest ever partnership in Sheffield Shield history, scoring 486 runs for the first wicket. The previous record was held by Mark and Steve Waugh, making 464 for New South Wales against Western Australia in the 1990–91 tournament.
* 30 October–2 November 2020 Scorecard
* New South Wales won by 1 wicket Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide Umpires: Sam Nogajski and Donovan Koch Player of the match: Mitchell Swepson (Queensland)
* New South Wales won the toss and elected to field.

### Round 4

* 8–11 November 2020 Scorecard
* Match drawn Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide Umpires: Gerard Abood and Sam Nogajski Player of the match: Will Pucovski (Victoria)
* Western Australia won the toss and elected to field.
* 8–11 November 2020 Scorecard
* New South Wales won by 145 runs Park 25, Adelaide Umpires: Bruce Oxenford and Shawn Craig Player of the match: Sean Abbott (New South Wales)
* Tasmania won the toss and elected to field.
* New South Wales made their third-lowest total in the Sheffield Shield.
* Sean Abbott (New South Wales) scored his maiden century in first-class cricket.
* 8–11 November 2020 Scorecard
* Queensland won by 62 runs ACH Group Stadium, Glenelg Umpires: Rod Tucker and Phillip Gillespie Player of the match: Mitchell Swepson (Queensland)
* Queensland won the toss and elected to bat.
* Jimmy Peirson (Queensland) scored his maiden century in first-class cricket.
* Callum Ferguson (South Australia) played in his final first-class cricket match.

### Round 5

* 17–20 February 2021 Scorecard
* Victoria won by 4 wickets Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Umpires: Rod Tucker and Tony Wilds Player of the match: Nic Maddinson (Victoria)
* Victoria won the toss and elected to field.
* Nathan Lyon (New South Wales) took his 600th first-class wicket.
* 17–20 February 2021 Scorecard
* Queensland won by 3 wickets Blundstone Arena, Hobart Umpires: Bruce Oxenford and Darren Close Player of the match: Joe Burns (Queensland)
* Queensland won the toss and elected to field.
* Matthew Kuhnemann (Queensland) made his first-class debut.
* Caleb Jewell (Tasmania) scored his maiden first-class century.
* 25–28 February 2021 Scorecard
* Match drawn WACA Ground, Perth Umpires: Donovan Koch and Nathan Johnstone Player of the match: Travis Head (South Australia)
* South Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
* Travis Head (South Australia) scored his maiden double century in first-class cricket.
* 25–28 February 2021 Scorecard
* Match drawn Bankstown Oval, Sydney Umpires: Greg Davidson and Shawn Craig Player of the match: Moises Henriques (New South Wales)
* New South Wales won the toss and elected to field.

### Round 6

* 5–8 March 2021 Scorecard
* Match drawn Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Umpires: Phillip Gillespie and Simon Lightbody Player of the match: Jake Doran (Tasmania)
* Victoria won the toss and elected to field.
* 6–9 March 2021 Scorecard
* New South Wales won by 6 wickets Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Umpires: Ben Treloar and Michael Graham-Smith Player of the match: Sean Abbott (New South Wales)
* South Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
* Joe Medew-Ewen (South Australia) made his first-class debut.
* 6–9 March 2021 Scorecard
* Match drawn The Gabba, Brisbane Umpires: Gerard Abood and Tony Wilds Player of the match: Cameron Green (Western Australia)
* Queensland won the toss and elected to field.
* Cameron Green (Western Australia) scored his maiden double century in first-class cricket.

### Round 7

* 15–18 March 2021 Scorecard
* Match drawn Allan Border Field, Brisbane Umpires: Donovan Koch and Rod Tucker Player of the match: Marcus Harris (Victoria)
* Queensland won the toss and elected to field.
* No play was possible on days 3 and 4 due to rain.
* 20–23 March 2021 Scorecard
* Tasmania won by 298 runs Blundstone Arena, Hobart Umpires: Darren Close and Sam Nogajski Player of the match: Jackson Bird (Tasmania)
* New South Wales won the toss and elected to field.
* 23–26 March 2021 Scorecard
* Match abandoned Ian Healy Oval, Brisbane Umpires: Greg Davidson and Paul Reiffel
* No toss.
* No play was possible on day 1 due to rain.
* No play was possible on days 2, 3 and 4 due to a wet outfield.
* 25–28 March 2021 Scorecard
* Western Australia won by 247 runs WACA Ground, Perth Umpires: Bruce Oxenford and Paul Wilson Player of the match: Joel Paris (Western Australia)
* Victoria won the toss and elected to field.
* Joel Paris (Western Australia) scored his maiden century in first-class cricket.

### Round 8

* 3–6 April 2021 Scorecard
* Match drawn Junction Oval, St Kilda Umpires: Phillip Gillespie and Sam Nogajski Player of the match: Jon Holland (Victoria)
* South Australia won the toss and elected to bat.
* Todd Murphy, James Seymour (Victoria) and Samuel Kerber (South Australia) all made their first-class debuts.
* 3–6 April 2021 Scorecard
* Match drawn North Dalton Park, Wollongong Umpires: Gerard Abood and Paul Wilson Player of the match: Nathan Lyon (New South Wales)
* Queensland won the toss and elected to field.
* Lachlan Hearne (New South Wales) made his first-class debut.
* 3–6 April 2021 Scorecard
* Tasmania won by 175 runs WACA Ground, Perth Umpires: Shawn Craig and Michael Graham-Smith Player of the match: Beau Webster (Tasmania)
* Western Australia won the toss and elected to field.
* Tim Ward (Tasmania) made his first-class debut.

## Final

* 15–19 April 2021 Scorecard
* Queensland won by an innings and 33 runs Allan Border Field, Brisbane Umpires: Paul Wilson and Sam Nogajski Player of the match: Marnus Labuschagne (Queensland)
* New South Wales won the toss and elected to bat.
* This was the first time Queensland had won against New South Wales in a Sheffield Shield Final

## Statistics
### Most runs

| Player | Team | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | Ave | HS | 100 | 50 |
| Cameron Green | Western Australia | 8 | 14 | 2 | 922 | 76.83 | 251 | 3 | 2 |
| Travis Head | South Australia | 7 | 14 | 1 | 893 | 68.69 | 223 | 3 | 3 |
| Marnus Labuschagne | Queensland | 8 | 10 | 0 | 821 | 82.1 | 192 | 4 | 2 |
| Shaun Marsh | Western Australia | 8 | 14 | 1 | 734 | 54.46 | 135 | 3 | 3 |
| Marcus Harris | Victoria | 8 | 13 | 2 | 695 | 63.18 | 239 | 2 | 1 |

### Most wickets

| Player | Team | Mat | Inns | Overs | Wkts | Ave | Econ | BBI | BBM | 5 | 10 |
| Nathan Lyon | New South Wales | 9 | 15 | 412.3 | 42 | 25.97 | 2.64 | 6/21 | 10/78 | 3 | 1 |
| Jackson Bird | Tasmania | 8 | 15 | 298.4 | 35 | 22.17 | 2.59 | 7/18 | 8/73 | 1 | 0 |
| Mitchell Swepson | Queensland | 5 | 10 | 288.4 | 32 | 23.14 | 2.59 | 5/55 | 10/173 | 3 | 1 |
| Scott Boland | Victoria | 8 | 12 | 265.1 | 30 | 24 | 2.71 | 6/61 | 8/113 | 1 | 0 |
| Jon Holland | Victoria | 8 | 12 | 296.2 | 27 | 28.85 | 2.62 | 5/82 | 9/172 | 1 | 0 |