THE 2022/23 season of the Sheffield Shield is well and truly under way, with another pair of games taking place in the past seven days.

It has been an exciting start to the season, as a few sides get off to ideal starts, while others will be forced to make changes in search of their first win.

Individually, the Shield continues to gain more attention on a yearly basis, and the performances have fuelled this. The most established state competition in the country, the Shield boasts talent young and old, with a few proving standouts.

In this piece, we take a look at some of the most intriguing numbers from the start of the season, and how they correlate to on-field success.

132

The amount of runs scored by Victorian batsman Peter Handscomb against South Australia, which is the most of any player in a single innings so far this season. The Redbacks had no answer for the veteran’s shot placement and footwork, with a strike rate of 72.13. He was a class above as he punished the Redbacks’ young bowlers, bringing up his ton in no time at all. Able to pull plenty of strength from his upper body and shoulders, Handscomb found the boundary 15 times, with 14 of those being fours. While it was not quite a match-winning performance, it certainly secured the draw for the Vics, with the Redbacks unable to reach the large total set by Handscomb and his teammates.

5/36

The figures of Western Australia’s Lance Morris in the first innings against the New South Wales Blues. Deservingly claiming player of the match honours, He was ruthless against the Blues’ top order, claiming three of their top four batsmen with his relentless pace. Surgical line and length proved too much for New South Wales’ best, as it was held to just 180 runs. Boasting an impressive batting lineup, Morris allowed the Western Australia batsmen to go to work and secure a dominant win.

326

The number of balls South Australia’s Henry Hunt survived in order to secure a draw for the Redbacks against Victoria. To start the second innings, a draw was the only realistic option for South Australia, given it was chasing a whopping 425 runs. Impressively, Hunt remained at the crease for seven hours, as the opener defended with his life to not concede a costly wicket. When there was a bit of a collapse in the middle order, and Hunt was paired with the tail end of the batting lineup, he took charge and did not allow the Vics to secure the breakthrough wicket. Finishing on 97, Hunt was three shy of a century, but that mattered not, as he brought the Redbacks out of the jaws of defeat.