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South Australia Defend Sheffield Shield Title With Dramatic 56-Run Final Win

South Australia staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Victoria by 56 runs and secure back-to-back Sheffield Shield titles. After trailing by 63 runs on first innings and collapsing to 122/7 in their second, a heroic 103 from Alex Carey and a 60 from Nathan McAndrew set a competitive target. Victoria, needing 94 runs with five wickets in hand on the final day, suffered a dramatic collapse, losing their last seven wickets for just 37 runs. Nathan McAndrew was named Player of the Match for his pivotal all-round performance, while teammate Liam Scott won the Player of the Tournament award.

Key Points: South Australia Defeat Victoria to Win Sheffield Shield 2025-26

  • SA overcame a 63-run first-innings deficit
  • Alex Carey's 103 rescued SA from 122/7
  • Nathan McAndrew starred with bat, ball & Player of the Match
  • Victoria collapsed, losing last 7 wickets for 37 runs
2 min read

Sheffield Shield 2025-26: South Australia defeat Victoria by 56 runs in final to defend their title

South Australia defends its Sheffield Shield title with a stunning 56-run victory over Victoria in the final, led by Alex Carey's century and Nathan McAndrew's all-round heroics.

"Veteran wicketkeeper Alex Carey produced a defining performance, scoring a resilient 103. - Match Report"

Melbourne, March 30

South Australia pulled off a stunning turnaround at Junction Oval in Melbourne to defeat Victoria by 56 runs in the Sheffield Shield 2025-26 final on Sunday and secure back-to-back titles.

In a match that ebbed and flowed over five days, the visitors overcame a first-innings deficit and a second-innings collapse to defend their crown dramatically.

After Will Sutherland-led Victoria won the toss and put Nathan McSweeney's South Australia in to bat first, the defending champions got all out for just 198, with McSweeney being the only batter to cross the fifty-run mark, making 52 runs.

For Victoria, captain Sutherland scalped four wickets, giving away just 54 runs, while Scott Boland and Fergus O Neill grabbed three wickets apiece.

Victoria, in response, made 261 runs with help from O Neill's 64-run knock and 40 from Marcus Harris, along with contributions from Sutherland's 34 and Campbell Kellaway's 29.

For South Australia, Nathan McAndrew (3/71 in 21 overs) and Henry Thornton (3/58 in 17 overs) were the key contributors with the ball.

After trailing by 63 runs, South Australia's title defence looked in jeopardy when they slumped to 122/7 in their second innings--a lead of only 59 runs. However, veteran wicketkeeper Alex Carey produced a defining performance, scoring a resilient 103.

Carey found a vital ally in Nathan McAndrew (60), and the pair shared a 105-run partnership for the eighth wicket. Their defiance pushed the total to 258, setting Victoria a target of 196 for victory.

Entering Day 5, Victoria appeared to be in the driving seat, needing 94 runs with five wickets in hand. However, the South Australian bowling attack, led by Nathan McAndrew (3/50 in 15 overs) and Liam Scott (3/32 in 16 overs), tore through the remaining lineup.

The hosts suffered a catastrophic collapse, losing their final seven wickets for just 37 runs. Any hopes of a Victorian fightback were extinguished as Henry Thornton (3/12) cleaned up the tail, eventually bowling Fergus O'Neill to help South Australia defend their Sheffield Shield title.

Nathan McAndrew won the Player of the Match award for his brilliant work with the ball while Liam Scott won the Player of the Tournament award for his 547 runs with the bat and 28 wickets with the ball for South Australia.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As a cricket fan living in Melbourne, it was heartbreaking to watch Victoria collapse like that on the final day. They had it in the bag! 94 runs with 5 wickets in hand... that's a choke, plain and simple. Well played to SA though, they never gave up.
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Arjun K
Brilliant all-round performance by Nathan McAndrew. Player of the Match well deserved. These domestic tournaments are the real backbone of cricket. Hope BCCI takes notes on how to structure our Ranji Trophy finals to be this exciting!
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Priyanka N
The partnership between Carey and McAndrew was the turning point. 105 runs for the 8th wicket in a final under pressure? That's champion stuff. Victoria's bowling lost the plot there. Scott Boland and Sutherland started so well.
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Michael C
Respectful criticism: The article focuses a lot on the bowling, but the batting from both sides was quite fragile. Getting bowled out for 198 and 261 in the first innings on what seems a decent pitch? Top-order batters need to show more application in these big games.
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Karthik V
Liam Scott - Player of the Tournament! 547 runs and 28 wickets is an outstanding all-round season. Future Australian star in the making. These Shield performances are what selectors should look at, not just T20 leagues.

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