Sheffield Shield are awarded based on wins, losses, draws and ties, with the top two teams playing a final at the end of the season. Regular matches last for four days; the final lasts for five days. In 1891–92 the Earl of Sheffield was in Australia as the promoter of the English team led by W. G. Grace. The tour included three Tests played in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. At the conclusion of the tour, Lord Sheffield donated £150 to the New South Wales Cricket Association to fund a trophy for an annual tournament of intercolonial cricket in Australia. The three colonies
2017–18 Sheffield Shield season to do so in a first-class match. In the final round of fixtures, Tasmania beat the defending champions, Victoria, by 156 runs to advance to their first Sheffield Shield final since the 2012–13 season. They faced Queensland at Allan Border Field in Brisbane. In the final, Queensland beat Tasmania by nine wickets to win their eighth title and their first since 2012. This was also the final season for Doug Bollinger, Ed Cowan, Ben Cutting and Michael Klinger. New South Wales named the following squad for 2017-18. Players with international caps are listed in bold. Queensland named the following squad