In a game besotted with numbers, mathematics will play a key early role when South Australia host Queensland in the Sheffield Shield final.
Both captains – SA’s Nathan McSweeney and the Bulls’ Marnus Labuschagne – will have an eye on the calculator on Wednesday’s opening day at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide.
Since 2018/19, a bonus points system has been in play, ending the scenario where a drawn result means the host wins the shield.
Instead, if a game is drawn, the title is won by the state securing the most bonus points during the initial 100 overs in the first innings.
Batting teams earn 0.01 of a bonus point for every run scored over 200 in the initial 100 overs; bowling sides get 0.1 of a bonus point for every wicket in the first 100 overs.
“You have got to be aware of it,” Labuschagne said. “But a five-day game … for me, it’s just focusing on the end result, making sure that we’re good for five days and we’re trying to win that game late on day five – that’s the aim.
“But once we’re in that position, if we’re batting first, trying to accelerate at a certain time to try and get a few more points to secure that first innings lead that might come into play.”
McSweeney, seeking to steer SA to their first shield title in 29 years, said bonus points would be in the back of his mind.
But with fine weather forecast until Sunday in Adelaide, the Queensland-born batsman doubted it would become a factor.
‘”It’s important to know and be across it as a team,” McSweeney said.
“But there’s five days of cricket, very likely there’s going to be a result in those five days without any weather interruptions.
“So that’s our main focus … we’ll just play the game, trying to win.”
Should bonus points be tied and the match drawn, SA will win the shield given they finished top of the ladder and earnt hosting rights for the final.
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