Test star Carey the hero as South Australia win Sheffield Shield final / Photo: William WEST - AFP
Test star Carey the hero as South Australia win Sheffield Shield final
A gritty century from Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey helped South Australia clinch back-to-back Sheffield Shield titles Monday with a stunning 56-run comeback win over Victoria.
Facing defeat at 79-5 in the second innings, Carey stepped up to crunch 103 before his bowlers finished the job at Melbourne's Junction Oval to deny Victoria a first domestic red ball crown since 2018-19.
Victoria took an early stranglehold on the five-day decider when they dismissed South Australia for 198, with Will Sutherland taking 4-54 and Fergus O'Neill 3-30.
In reply, the hosts hit 261 on the back of O'Neill's unbeaten 64 and former Australian opener Marcus Harris's 40.
When South Australia were reduced to 79-5 in their second innings, they looked doomed.
But Carey dug in, sharing in a 105-run stand with number nine Nathan McAndrew (60), to set a tricky target of 196 for Victoria to chase.
They reached 102-3 but then collapsed, losing 7-37 to be all out for 139.
McAndrew, Liam Scott, and Henry Thornton all took three wickets to earn South Australia an unlikely victory and a second straight title.
Last year they beat Queensland in the final, with a superb Carey century again leading the way.
M.Bernard--MJ
