The NSW Men’s team will take on Victoria in the next round of the Marsh Sheffield Shield, starting this Friday, with the fixture at the SCG taking on extra significance – February 15 (tomorrow) is 170 years to the day since the very first cricket match at the hallowed ground.
Blues squad for historic SCG clash
The first recorded match at the Sydney Cricket Ground (then the Garrison Ground) was played on February 15, 1854.
The home team, The Garrison Club, was drawn from the 11th North Devonshire Regiment stationed at Victoria Barracks, and a team called the Royal Victoria Club. The Garrison Club staged something of a remarkable win, dismissing their opponents for just 16 in the match's fourth and final innings to win the match by one run.
To recognise the historic occasion, players in this Shield match will receive commemorative medals struck by Venues NSW.
Moises Henriques will lead the NSW Blues team that is coming off consecutive victories in the competition and now sit in fourth place, marginally behind Western Australia. Victoria is second, with Tasmania atop the ladder.
The full Sheffield Shield standings can be found HERE.
The Blues squad sees the return of Test great Nathan Lyon and prodigious batter Sam Konstas, the latter on a high after helping Australia claim the ICC U19 World Cup last Sunday in South Africa.
Ryan Hackney, Jack Nisbet and Blake Macdonald drop out of the squad that went on to beat Western Australia at their last Shield start.
Play begins at 10.30am (Sydney time) and will be broadcast live on cricket.com.au and Kayo.
The two teams will be playing for the Hodge-Matthews Trophy contested bi-annually in recognition of the history of Sheffield Shield competition between the two states and the careers of Victorian great Brad Hodge and NSW legend Greg Matthews.
NSW Blues squad to play Victoria (starting Friday February 16) in a Sheffield Shield fixture at the SCG: Jackson Bird, Ollie Davies, Jack Edwards, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Liam Hatcher, Moises Henriques ©, Daniel Hughes, Sam Konstas, Nathan Lyon, Blake Nikitaras, Chris Tremain