The Sheffield Shield is Australia’s premier domestic first-class cricket competition.
It began in the 1892–93 season and has continued for 133 seasons through 2024–25.
Time gaps between championships define long-term team success.
Teams with shorter gaps between titles show stronger sustained performance than teams with irregular winning patterns.
First title timing reveals when teams entered competitive relevance.
Victoria won in the inaugural 1892–93 season, while Queensland waited until 1994–95, creating a 102-year gap between the first and last teams to win.
Recent titles shift competitive standings and title-gap metrics.
South Australia’s 2024–25 championship ended a 29-year drought, while Western Australia reduced its current gap to 1 year after winning in 2023–24.
Contents
Sheffield Shield Winners List
The 2025–26 Sheffield Shield season is currently in progress.
The final is scheduled for 26 March 2026, with results affecting all teams’ current gap statistics.
Sheffield Shield Winners List from 1892 to 2026
| Team | Titles Won | Winning Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 47 | 1895–96, 1896-97, 1899-00, 1901-02, 1902–03, 1903-04, 1904–05, 1905–06, 1906–07, 1908-09, 1910–11, 1911–12, 1913–14, 1919–20, 1920–21, 1922–23, 1925–26, 1928–29, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1937–38, 1939–40, 1948–49, 1949-50, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1956-57, 1957–58, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1992–93, 1993-94, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2007-08, 2013–14, 2018-20 |
| Victoria | 32 | 1892–93, 1894–95, 1897–98, 1898–99, 1900–01, 1907–08, 1914–15, 1921-22, 1923-24, 1924–25, 1927–28, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1933-34, 1934-35, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1946–47, 1950–51, 1962–63, 1969-70, 1973–74, 1978–79, 1979-80, 1990–91, 2003-04, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2018–19 |
| Western Australia | 18 | 1947–48, 1967–68, 1971–72, 1972-73, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1988-89, 1991–92, 1997–98, 1998-99, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023-24 |
| South Australia | 14 | 1893–94, 1909–10, 1912–13, 1926–27, 1935–36, 1938–39, 1952-53, 1963-64, 1968–69, 1970-71, 1975–76, 1981-82, 1995-96, 2024–25 |
| Queensland | 9 | 1994–95, 1996–97, 1999-00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2005–06, 2011–12, 2017–18, 2020–21 |
| Tasmania | 3 | 2006–07, 2010–11, 2012–13 |
Top 6 Sheffield Shield Winners
New South Wales
New South Wales won their first title 3 years after the competition started and their most recent 124 years later. The team’s 17-year gap between 1965–66 and 1982–83 represents their longest drought period.
Key Statistics:
- Total titles: 47
- First title year: 1895–96
- Most recent title year: 2018–20
- Longest gap between titles: 17 years (1965–66 to 1982–83)
- Recent gap trend: 5+ years without a title
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Total Titles | 47 |
| First Title | 1895–96 |
| Latest Title | 2018–20 |
| Longest Gap | 17 years |
| Current Gap Status | 5+ years (ongoing) |
Victoria
Victoria won the inaugural Sheffield Shield in 1892–93 and their most recent title 126 years later in 2018–19. Their longest title gap lasted 12 years from 1950–51 to 1962–63.
Key Statistics:
- Total titles: 32
- First title year: 1892–93
- Most recent title year: 2018–19
- Longest gap between titles: 12 years (1950–51 to 1962–63)
- Recent gap trend: 6+ years without a title
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Total Titles | 32 |
| First Title | 1892–93 |
| Latest Title | 2018–19 |
| Longest Gap | 12 years |
| Current Gap Status | 6+ years (ongoing) |
Western Australia
Western Australia won its first title 55 years after the competition started in 1947–48. Their most recent title came 76 years later in 2023–24, with a 23-year gap between 1998–99 and 2021–22.
Key Statistics:
- Total titles: 18
- First title year: 1947–48
- Most recent title year: 2023–24
- Longest gap between titles: 23 years (1998–99 to 2021–22)
- Recent gap trend: 1+ year (shortest current gap)
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Total Titles | 18 |
| First Title | 1947–48 |
| Latest Title | 2023–24 |
| Longest Gap | 23 years |
| Current Gap Status | 1+ year (ongoing) |
South Australia
South Australia won its first title in 1893–94, just one year after the competition started. Their 29-year gap between 1995–96 and 2024–25 is the longest recorded drought in Sheffield Shield history.
Key Statistics:
- Total titles: 14
- First title year: 1893–94
- Most recent title year: 2024–25
- Longest gap between titles: 29 years (1995–96 to 2024–25)
- Recent gap trend: 0 years (won most recent completed season)
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Total Titles | 14 |
| First Title | 1893–94 |
| Latest Title | 2024–25 |
| Longest Gap | 29 years |
| Current Gap Status | 0 years (reigning champions) |
Queensland
Queensland won their first title 102 years after the competition started in 1994–95. Their span from first to most recent title covers 27 years, with the longest gap of 6 years between 2011–12 and 2017–18.
Key Statistics:
- Total titles: 9
- First title year: 1994–95
- Most recent title year: 2020–21
- Longest gap between titles: 6 years (2011–12 to 2017–18)
- Recent gap trend: 4+ years without a title
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Total Titles | 9 |
| First Title | 1994–95 |
| Latest Title | 2020–21 |
| Longest Gap | 6 years |
| Current Gap Status | 4+ years (ongoing) |
Tasmania
Tasmania won its first title 114 years after the competition started in 2006–07. Their three titles span just 6 years from 2006–07 to 2012–13, with a 4-year longest gap.
Key Statistics:
- Total titles: 3
- First title year: 2006–07
- Most recent title year: 2012–13
- Longest gap between titles: 4 years (2006–07 to 2010–11)
- Recent gap trend: 12+ years without a title
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Total Titles | 3 |
| First Title | 2006–07 |
| Latest Title | 2012–13 |
| Longest Gap | 4 years |
| Current Gap Status | 12+ years (ongoing) |
FAQs
- 1. Which team won its first Sheffield Shield the earliest?
Victoria won the inaugural Sheffield Shield in 1892–93. South Australia won its first title the following year in 1893–94, while New South Wales won in 1895–96.
- 2. Which team had the longest gap between titles?
South Australia recorded the longest gap at 29 years between 1995–96 and 2024–25. Western Australia had the second-longest gap at 23 years between 1998–99 and 2021–22.
- 3. Who won the latest completed Sheffield Shield season?
South Australia won the 2024–25 Sheffield Shield season. This was their 14th title overall and ended their record 29-year championship drought.
- 4. How many teams have won the Shield since 2000?
All six competing teams have won at least one title since 2000. New South Wales (7), Victoria (8), Western Australia (5), Queensland (5), Tasmania (3), and South Australia (1) all secured championships in this period.
- 5. Is the Sheffield Shield played every season?
The Sheffield Shield operates annually as Australia’s main first-class competition. The tournament has run continuously since 1892–93, with the 2025–26 season currently in progress.
Title Gap Analysis and Competitive Cycles
Long title gaps indicate periods of competitive decline lasting multiple years or decades.
South Australia’s 29-year drought represents the extreme case, while shorter gaps under 5 years suggest sustained competitive strength.
New South Wales shows relative stability despite a 17-year-long gap.
The team’s 124-year span from first to most recent title demonstrates continuous competitive relevance across all eras.
Western Australia demonstrates recent momentum with three consecutive titles from 2021–22 to 2023–24.
This reduced their current gap to 1+ year, the shortest among all teams entering the 2025–26 season.
Timing analysis reveals competitive cycles in first-class cricket.
Teams with recent titles maintain current relevance, while teams with 10+ year gaps show declining competitive position regardless of historical success totals.
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