Renshaw feared missing Shield final

Matt Renshaw can laugh about it now but the Queensland opener admits he was worried he would miss the Sheffield Shield final after a collision with a teammate.

Matt Renshaw

Matt Renshaw is happy to be in the Sheffield Shield final after fearing injury could keep him out. (AAP)

He can now see the funny side but Matt Renshaw admits he was initially concerned a collision with Queensland teammate Sam Heazlett could have ruled him out of this week's Sheffield Shield final in Brisbane.

The ex-Test opener has been given the green light to play the five-day decider against Tasmania at Allan Border Field starting on Friday after being cleared of concussion concerns.

Renshaw has been sidelined since copping Heazlett's knee in the head as they both went for the ball in a warm-up before day two of last week's outright Shield win over NSW at Wollongong.

"It was one of the more interesting ways to get a concussion," he laughed.

"I was diving for a ball and Sam was also diving from a different direction.

"He didn't want to spike me (with his boots) so he decided to knee me in the side of the head.

"I think I would rather the spikes now."

Renshaw said he had no lingering issues despite at first fearing the head knock could rule him out of the final.

"A little bit (of doubt) at the start but the next day when I woke up I was feeling a lot better," he said.

"It's all good now. I did all my checks (on Monday) and passed all the tests."

Heazlett was arguably more relieved than Renshaw when the opener was cleared for the final.

"He kept saying sorry to me the whole day that it happened - but things like that just happen," Renshaw said.

Renshaw is the only batsman to have struck three Shield tons this summer, amassing 686 runs at 40.35.

He hit three centuries in as many matches before Heazlett's friendly fire halted his run.

It is a remarkable turnaround since Renshaw was dropped from the Test team at the start of the summer.

The lanky left-hander couldn't buy a run in a luckless trot but has reversed his fortunes since the Shield resumed after the Big Bash League.

Renshaw credited a new fitness regime.

"My fitness work has probably never been up to standard," he said.

"I did a lot of work when I wasn't playing for the (Brisbane) Heat (in BBL).

"Now after batting two days I feel fresh.

"I will try to bat as well as I can and try and win that Shield for the boys.

"I am getting goosebumps just thinking about winning a title."


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Source: AAP



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