Sheffield Shield 2025/26, VIC vs SOA Final Match Report, March 26 – 30, 2026

South Australia 55 for 3 (McSweeney 25*, Carey 11*, O’Neill 1-9, Sutherland 1-9, Boland 1-19) vs Victoria

Heavy, unrelenting rain ruined the opening day of the Sheffield Shield final at the Junction Oval in Melbourne but not before Victoria ripped through South Australia’s top order after winning the toss.

Boland, celebrating his 100th Shield appearance for Victoria, made the first breakthrough in the seventh over. He had been slightly wayward with the new ball including firing one down the leg side for four byes. But he found his rhythm from around the wicket and delivered a peach to remove Mackenzie Harvey for the third successive time in two matches. He angled in and seamed away from a perfect length to scratch Harvey’s outside edge as he was forced to defend.

O’Neill then pushed fuller to Henry Hunt at the other end and got rewarded. Hunt played an expansive cover drive but some late swing took the edge and Peter Handscomb made a sharp chance look simple at second slip.

Sutherland replaced Boland from the southern end and struck with his fifth delivery, nipping one back off the seam to hit Jason Sangha on the pad below the knee roll. It was 50-50 whether it hit in line but the umpire was confident it did. That left South Australia 21 for 3 and in deep trouble.

But Nathan McSweeney and Alex Carey steadied. McSweeney looked in excellent touch striking four boundaries in his unbeaten 25. He unfurled back-to-back boundaries off Boland, pinging him through midwicket off the front foot before pulling him powerfully off the back.

Carey was less assured, but he was equally busy to get South Australia safely to lunch.

But rain fell just as the players were emerging for the start of the second session. The rain was so heavy it created puddles on the outfield and it never ceased for the remainder of the day.

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