The 2019–20 Sheffield Shield season was the 118th season of the Sheffield Shield, the Australian domestic first-classcricket competition. It began on 10 October 2019 and was scheduled to finish on 31 March 2020.[1] The first four rounds took place prior to the international Test series against Pakistan, and in addition the season breaks for the Big Bash League. Victoria were the defending champions.[2]
In December 2019, during the sixth round match between Victoria and Western Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, play was suspended after 40 overs on the first day due to a dangerous pitch.[3] Following another inspection on the second day, the match was called off.[4] During the same round, the match at the Sydney Cricket Ground between New South Wales and Queensland was played under a smoke cloud from the Australian bushfires.[5][6]
The final round of matches and the final were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] The title was subsequently awarded to New South Wales, who finished on top of the points table after the nine rounds that were played.[8][9] It was the 47th time that New South Wales had won the title.[10] On 25 March 2020, Cricket Australia named Moises Henriques and Nic Maddinson as the joint winners of player of the season.[11]
All Sheffield Shield matches were exclusively streamed live and free on Cricket Australia's official website, with Fox Cricket originally scheduled to show the final.[30]
