All professional cricket in Australia has been cancelled, with Cricket Australia advising semi-pro and amateur players to also cease matches for the rest of the season.
Most notably, nationwide interstate first-class cricket showdown the Marsh Sheffield Shield has had its finals cancelled, but nonetheless a winner was crowned, with NSW taking home the gong for accruing the highest number of wins – six in total, with two games lost and one drawn. The team’s nearest rival, Victoria, had chalked up just three wins during the tournament.
A statement released by Cricket Australia said, that it “has today announced the cancellation of the Marsh Sheffield Shield final and recommended that all cricket played within the community is ceased for the remainder of the 2019-20 season in response to the global coronavirus pandemic".
It is the latest sporting body to announce sweeping cancellations, among them AFL, soccer, rugby union, swimming, rugby league, netball, tennis, basketball and cycling competitions.