Dene Hills from Tasmania was named 1997-98 Sheffield Shield player of the year. The award was announced by ACB chairman Denis Rogers following the conclusion of the Sheffield Shield final at the WACA. Hills won $8000 and a trophy. He is the third Tasmanian to win the title folowing Brian Davison (1983-84) and David Boon (1984-85).

The award is decided on votes by the umpires in each Shield match on a 3,2,1 basis.

The leading point-scorers:

1.  Dene Hills (Tasmania)        23
2.  Andrew Symonds (Queensland)  20
3.  Dean Jones (Victoria)        15
    Colin Miller (Tasmania)      15
5.  Damien Martyn (WA)           13
    Tom Moody (WA)               13
7.  Adam Gilchrist (WA)          12
    Tom Moody (WA)               12