South Australia win Sheffield Shield to end 29-year wait

MELBOURNE: 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. Agencies

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