Stand-in Australia skipper Steve Smith will captain a NSW line-up boasting more than 1200 Test wickets against Sheffield Shield ladder leaders Victoria this week in stark contrast to England’s sole three-day Ashes warm-up game among themselves.

As injured star Pat Cummins continues to up his bowling workload, his Test replacement, Scott Boland, will lead Victoria’s attack against Australian teammates Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, as well as back-up quick Sean Abbott, at the SCG on Monday in a star-studded Sheffield Shield final round before Australia’s squad assembles in Perth.

In all, 14 of the 15-man Test squad will turn out in the state competition this week, with only veteran opener Usman Khawaja sitting out after having already played three Shield games for Queen

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