Not pitch perfect: Why Shield batting averages are falling

The Sheffield Shield has long been the breeding ground for Australia’s next generation of batting heroes.

The immortal Sir Donald Bradman averaged 110.19 whilst more recent legends such as Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer and Steve Smith all showed their batting nous at Shield level.

It’s historically been a reliable indicator for which players would become the next Test superstars and go on to score runs in high-pressure Ashes series or on the challenging pitches of the subcontinent.

With the 2025-26 Sheffield Shield season coming to a close, there are concerns that Australia no longer has the quality of young batters coming through to take the spots of the aging top order.

The leading run scorer was Peter Handscomb, who made 688 runs with an average of 36.21. Cameron Bancroft was second-best with 674 at 33.70, followed by Henry Hunt, who made 667 at 39.23, and Sam Konstas with 660 at 33.00.

Tom Morris and Bharat Sundaresan discussed the growing problems on SEN Cricket’s ‘The New Ball’.

“All our best run scorers in the first-class scene are now averaging somewhere between low to mid-thirties and the odd one in the mid to high thirties,” Morris said.

Many of the pitches have been criticised as being too bowler-friendly over the season, with Sundaresan adding to that conversation.

“I think the pitches have a big role to play in this as well,” Sundaresan said.

“We've had some really grassy and sporting pitches in places like Tassie and definitely in Sydney and Melbourne as well.”

Whilst there have been impressive performances from some of the bowlers, with NSW paceman Liam Hatcher taking 44 wickets, Morris doesn’t believe it’s a reasonable enough excuse for the low batting averages.

“Hatcher and (Mitch) Perry, they're all nice bowlers, Fergus O'Neill, but you're not looking at them going, that's the next Mitchell Starc or Josh Hazlewood or Brett Lee,” Morris said.

After a promising start to the Shield season which saw Marnus Labuschagne retain his spot at No. 3 in the batting order, the Queenslander has struggled to make a strong contribution following his return from the Ashes side.

“It's very concerning. In the last 8 innings, he's made 123 runs at an average of 15. I don't think he's made a half-century in that time either,” Sundaresan said.

“So when the Australian selectors do sit down to pick the squad for the August series against Bangladesh and also South Africa (in October), they would have no Shield form or Shield numbers to go with except these.”

Another area of criticism for these batters is that their techniques have changed to a more white-ball style of cricket that is not suited to the conditions of Sheffield Shield.

“I've heard some ex-cricketers talk about this collectively, that the techniques around Australian cricket in terms of batting having been impacted and you can always point a finger at white ball cricket,” Sundaresan said.

“For me, I think it's more the inconsistency in pitches have played a big role in that and we'll have to wait and watch because now it's been what the 3rd straight summer that we're looking at where nobody's really put their hand up in crazy fashion.”

It’s raised the question as to who the Australian selectors should be giving an opportunity to, with a new crop of young top order batters all in the spotlight. They may not have the proven record of multiple seasons with impressive numbers, but they’ve shown their capability at the crease.

Morris and Sundaresan discussed who they would be looking to bring into the team.

Morris: “I'd be just as confident with Ollie Peake, to be honest.”

Sundaresan: “You don't even have to look at his numbers, that's someone who you can just throw into the deep end based on how he's gone across formats and having done that in the Under-19 World Cup as well.”

Morris: “Same with Campbell Kellaway, probably as well, just these young players who go about it the right way.”

The Sheffield Shield Final between Victoria and South Australia begins on March 26 at CitiPower Centre.

It will be the last opportunity for Australian Test hopefuls to demonstrate their ability on home soil before Australia faces Bangladesh in a two-game Test series this August.