Bird debut beckons as Blues announce Shield squad

The 12-player Blues squad, led by skipper Moises Henriques, will play Queensland, with the match starting at 10.30am on Wednesday and broadcast live on cricket.com.au, Foxtel and Kayo.

The squad includes three players that were not part of the Blues’ final Shield match of the 2022/23 season - Jackson Bird, who moved back home to NSW from Tasmania, Daniel Hughes, who has returned from the injury that ended his last summer early, and former Test star Kurtis Patterson, who has regained his spot in the 12.

A remarkable debut beckons for Bird, who grew up on Sydney’s Northern Beaches before chasing an opportunity to play top-level domestic cricket in Tasmania.

Since his move south more than a decade ago, the now 36-year-old father of three has played 114 First-Class matches, including nine Tests. He sits tenth on the Sheffield Shield all-time wicket takers list with 350 scalps for Tasmania.

Cricket NSW Chief of Cricket Performance, Greg Mail, said Bird had had a remarkable career and it was fitting that the first Shield match at Cricket Central also be Bird’s first for his ‘state of origin’.

“Jackson has had a wonderful career so far and his record for Tasmania for over a decade is there for all to see,” Mail said.

“He wanted an opportunity to bring his young family back to Sydney and we were more than willing to welcome someone of his cricketing acumen and character.

“It will be another exciting step in the state’s cricketing history when we play our first First-Class match at Cricket Central, we look forward to making it into a fortress for NSW.”

NSW Blues squad to host Queensland (starting Wednesday October 4 in Marsh Sheffield Shield action at Cricket Central: Jackson Bird, Ollie Davies, Jack Edwards, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hackney, Moises Henriques ©, Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Kurtis Patterson, Jason Sangha, Chris Tremain