2008–09 Sheffield Shield season 2008–09 Sheffield Shield season The 2008–09 Sheffield Shield season was the 107th season of official first-class domestic cricket in Australia. After nine seasons of being named the Pura Cup, it was announced that the Australian interstate trophy would return to its previous name of the Sheffield Shield as part of a new sponsorship agreement with Weet-Bix. The season began on 10 October 2008 when the Queensland took on Tasmania at the Brisbane Cricket Ground. The Victorian Bushrangers claimed the title following a draw with Queensland in the final at the Junction Oval. The top two teams after each round is
Relocation of sports teams in the United Kingdom rivalry with both the Whitley Warriors and the Billingham Bombers. It was a golden period for hockey in the North East with derby matches against the Warriors often resulting in crowds which exceeded the stated capacity of the rink by a considerable margin. With the rise of teams such as the Cardiff Devils and Sheffield Steelers, the Wasps started to struggle to fund a competitive team. At the same time, the rink was in need of significant investment. Around this time, John Hall, then owner of Newcastle United Football Club, laid plans to form a centre of sporting excellence in