South Australia wins Sheffield Shield after 29 years

South Australia wins Sheffield Shield after 29 years

Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey hit a superb century against Queensland as South Australia completed the highest successful fourth-innings chase in a Sheffield Shield final to end a 29-year title drought on Saturday.

Needing 270 runs at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide, South Australia was in early trouble on day four at 28-3 before Carey combined with Jason Sangha in a match-winning 202-run partnership.

Carey, who has been in strong batting form this season, fell for 105 with the result a formality despite South Australia losing three late wickets.

Sangha finished unbeaten on 126 to seal the four-wicket victory, hitting the winning run as South Australia’s long-suffering fans ran onto the field in celebration.

The highest previous run chase to win a Shield final was Victoria’s 239-2 against New South Wales in 1991.

It was South Australia’s 14th title and first since 1995-96 to complete a memorable season where it also triumphed in the domestic one-day competition earlier in the month.

South Australia had finished in the bottom rung of the Shield table in each of the previous seven seasons.

“Quite tough work to chase 270, which was a really challenging score. We had to play our best,” said South Australia captain Nathan McSweeney, who formerly played for Queensland.

“In the past we’ve relied on one or two players to really carry us, but this year so many people stood up at important times.”

South Australia had an early stranglehold of the five-day decider after taking advantage of favourable seam-bowling conditions to rout Queensland for just 95 in their first innings.

Quick Brendan Doggett, who was part of Australia’s Test squad during the recent series against India, claimed 6/31 as Queensland slumped to the third-lowest total in a Shield final.

South Australia gained a 176-run first-innings lead after Jake Lehmann, the son of former Test batsman and ex-Australia coach Darren Lehmann, top-scored with 102 from 151 balls.

Queensland appeared set for a hefty defeat before second-innings centuries from Jack Clayton and Jack Wildermuth revived their chances.

But Doggett, who was part of Queensland’s last title-winning team in 2021, took another five-wicket haul to limit Queensland’s lead as the surface flattened under the baking sun.

Both teams were without several stars, including Travis Head and Xavier Bartlett, who are playing in the Indian Premier League.

Published on Mar 29, 2025