Sheffield Shield final called-off amid COVID-19 scare; New South Wales named champions
Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed, on Tuesday, that the 2019-20 season of the Sheffield Shield, Australia’s premier domestic tournament, has been called off amid the COVID-19 outbreak. As a result, table-toppers New South Wales (NSW) were named champions for the first time in six years.
The coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 180,000 people with at least 7,000 dead. Owing to the unprecedented situation at hand, most major sporting events — particularly team events — have been called off. The latest to join the list is Sheffield Shield, after Australia’s cricketing governing body called off the competition's final.
Given that CA had already cancelled the last round of the domestic first-class season, NSW, the runaway leaders with 50 points, were crowned champions — while Victoria — who finished 12 points behind — came in second.
"Based on expert advice from CA’s Chief Medical Officer John Orchard and recent government information we want to ensure that cricket is doing everything it can to contribute to the global effort to slow, and eventually stop, the spread of coronavirus," CA said in a statement, reported Reuters.
In addition, CA has closed all of its offices and advised staff to work from home until further notice, while recommending that all community-level cricket is ceased for the remainder of the 2019/20 season in response to the pandemic.