The Sheffield Shield is down to two: NSW and Queensland, who will face off for top honours when the final begins next Thursday.
Ahead of the grand dance, we’ve named our best XI from the season.
There are Test guns and axed Australian stars, young talents and ageing veterans – and even the winless South Australians have a representative.
Without further ado …
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WILL PUCOVSKI
495 runs at 247.50, two centuries, HS 255*
In a way, this feels unfair to the rest of the competition given Pucovski only played two matches all season. That should say plenty about just how special those two appearances were.
The Victorian prodigy plundered a ridiculous 495 runs across three innings, which included two double centuries – one an unbeaten 255.
A shoulder injury sustained on Test duty kept him out of the second-half of the competition, so we’ll never know just how many runs he was capable of in what was shaping up to be a golden summer.
Nonetheless, he gets the nod here for his two double tons, and insane average of 247.50.
MARCUS HARRIS
695 runs at 63.18, two centuries, HS 239
Alongside Pucovski is his Victorian opening partner, and fellow Test player, Harris, who was the competition’s fourth-highest scorer this season.
He faces stiff competition in this spot from Western Australia opener Cameron Bancroft, who was arguably more consistent with three centuries and three fifties.
Nonetheless, Harris’ 695 runs came in one less innings and at a far superior average of 63.18, compared to Bancroft’s haul of 678 at 48.42. That was largely thanks to the mighty 239 Harris scored against South Australia at the start of the season.
MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE
629 runs at 69.88, three centuries, HS 167
The Australian No. 3 barely put a foot wrong this Shield season, scoring three centuries and two fifties within just nine innings for the Queensland Bulls.
Only Cameron Green (76.83) and Moises Henriques (70.33) scored more than 600 runs at a better average than Labuschagne, whose tally of 629 came at 69.88.
The competition’s third-highest scorer, Shaun Marsh, is unlucky to miss out here after making 734 runs at 56.46 for WA, along with three centuries and three fifties. Ultimately, Labuschagne was far more prolific having made his impressive haul from five less innings than the WA veteran.
TRAVIS HEAD
893 runs at 68.69, three centuries, HS 223
There wasn’t much to be happy about from a South Australian perspective this season, but at least the Redbacks captain’s individual performances were a positive.
Head was dropped from Australia’s Test team during the Border-Gavaskar series but responded in the best way possible, scoring a double century and two fifties in the back-half of the Shield season.
The 27-year-old finishes 2020-21 with three Shield centuries to his name, and a bag of 893 runs at 68.69.
Head fell just 30 runs short of being the competition’s leading run-scorer this season, while he was a whopping 159 runs ahead of the third-placed Marsh.
Pakistan claim ODI decider
1:04
CAMERON GREEN
922 runs at 76.83, three centuries, HS 251
Three wickets at 98.33, BBI 1-15
Without a shadow of a doubt, Green is no longer a star of the future. He’s a star of now.
Fresh from making his eagerly-anticipated Test debut, Green returned to domestic duty with a spring in his step and took things to the next level.
His 922 runs – including a double century, two tons and two fifties – was the most of any player this season, while his average of 76.83 was the highest of anyone who made more than 500 runs. Only Pucovski had a higher average from those who made more than 200.
Wickets are still proving hard to come by since he made his return to bowling, but his numbers warrant selection as a specialist batsman alone.
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SEAN ABBOTT
525 runs at 75.00, one century, HS 102*
17 wickets at 31.82, one five-wicket haul, BBI 6-89
What a season for the 29-year-old who is proving to be something of a late bloomer in first-class cricket.
Abbott is going through a purple patch with the bat, making 525 runs this season from the NSW middle order at a mighty average of 75.00. Only Abbott, Pucovski and Green averaged 75 runs or more this season and made more than 200 runs.
It’s important to note Abbott’s fellow NSW all-rounder, Moises Henriques, also starred with the bat with 633 runs at 70.33.
Henriques’ bowling duties, however, are limited these days, while Abbott chipped in with a healthy 17 wickets at 31.82.
Ultimately, it was a simple call picking this team’s all-rounder.
De Kock laughs after DODGY run out!
1:20
JOSH INGLIS
585 runs at 73.12, three centuries, HS 153*
Just as straightforward was picking this team’s wicketkeeper.
Inglis performed brilliantly for WA this summer, scoring three centuries to level the tally for most scored in 2020-21.
With Tim Paine edging closer to retirement, the 26-year-old did his Test credentials no harm, proving he can counter-attack brilliantly from down the order. His strike rate of 85.02 was the highest of anyone to have hit more than 200 runs this season.
He will still face tough competition for a baggy green from Alex Carey – the South Australian also performed well, making 299 runs at 59.80 – but Inglis has gone from being an outside chance to a legitimate contender.
SCOTT BOLAND
30 wickets at 24.00, one five-wicket haul, BBI 6-61
Another strong season for the Victorian quick who was one of just three players to break the 30-wicket barrier.
In a season that featured plenty of flat wickets, his 30 poles, that came every 53 balls and 24 runs, was no mean feat. He was only bettered by Tasmania’s Jackson Bird.
Bird, Boland and Mitchell Swepson were the only bowlers to average less than 25 with 15 wickets or more.
Is that REALLY a catch?
0:39
JACKSON BIRD
35 wickets at 22.17, one five-wicket haul, BBI 7-18
Unsurprisingly, Bird has been picked to partner Boland with the new ball in this team.
The nine-Test player was in a league of his own this summer; he was comfortably the leading fast-bowling wicket-taker, claiming five more wickets than the next quick on the list, Boland.
Only Nathan Lyon snared more wickets than Bird, while the 34-year-old’s 7-18 against finalists NSW last month was the best innings haul for the entire season.
NATHAN LYON
39 wickets at 25.00, three five-wicket hauls, BBI 6-21
After an uncharacteristically poor Test summer, there was no better way for Lyon to move on than with a big bag of wickets in domestic cricket.
In the end, he finished the 2020-21 season with the biggest bag of all.
Lyon’s 39 wickets at 25.00 was untouchable, as the off-spinner finished as the Shield’s leading wicket-taker, four poles clear of Bird in second place.
His highlight of the season was a stunning 10-wicket haul against Victoria in February, which saw him take 6-21 in the first innings.
He’d no doubt trade all the individual success for another crack at winning the Border-Gavaskar series, but it was still a mightily impressive response from the veteran who will play in the final next week.
Swepson’s Warnie-like wicket!
0:34
MITCHELL SWEPSON
29 wickets at 22.44, three five-wicket hauls, BBI 5-55
It’s rare to see twin spin in an Australian XI these days, but the numbers simply warrant it.
Swepson’s career took another promising step forward in 2020-21 after the leg-spinner snared 29 wickets for the Bulls at an impressive 22.44.
In truth, he was arguably the bowler of the season with his 29 wickets coming from just eight innings – six less than Lyon and seven less than Bird.
He will play in the final next week in what promises to be an exciting spin showdown against New South Wales’ Lyon.