In an exciting conclusion to the Sheffield Shield regular season, South Australia and Queensland faced off in a tightly contested draw at Adelaide, paving the way for Queensland's qualification for the final. The match wrapped up on March 18, 2025, with South Australia declaring their first innings at 614 and managing a second innings of 252 for five, while Queensland was bowled out for 370.
As the dust settled on the match, it was evident that the results of other matches that day were pivotal. Tasmania delivered a staggering blow to New South Wales, winning by 326 runs, while Victoria edged past Western Australia by 34 runs in a must-win fixture for the defending champions.
The draw between South Australia and Queensland meant that the Bulls secured their spot in the Sheffield Shield final, scheduled for March 26 at Karen Rolton Oval, while South Australia finished the season strong, demonstrating resilience after a shaky start.
“All in all, I’m really proud of the boys’ effort,” said Queensland's stand-in captain, Marnus Labuschagne. “To be in the position we’re in now, after five games with no wins and being able to pull in three wins in the last five games and then a draw, that’s a really good effort.”
During the clash, South Australia dominated early, with captain Nathan McSweeney anchoring their innings. They declared their first innings on an impressive total of 614 runs, with contributions from Jason Sangha and Alex Carey, who provided vital runs in their second innings.
Sangha showcased a commanding performance, scoring an unbeaten 103 runs before finishing the innings, hitting four sixes throughout his innings.
“When you see a guy like Jason Sangha score 103 not out, and he has proven himself in earlier matches, we can see the depth in our batting lineup,” said McSweeney.
Carey, the test wicketkeeper, also continued his stellar form, contributing 56 runs in the second innings after an excellent century of 104 in the first, averaging 120.67 in his last four innings.
In contrast, Queensland’s chances of winning quickly diminished as they finished their innings at 370. With Labuschagne contributing as both a bowler and a batsman, he took crucial wickets in the first and the second innings, ending with figures of 4-107.
After the dust settled in Adelaide, Tasmania’s emphatic victory over New South Wales came as a shocker to the Blues. Led by Matt Kuhnemann, who claimed a sensational five-wicket haul, Tasmania bowled New South Wales out for just 202 runs, struggling significantly to chase 529.
NSW began day four at 0-71 before Kuhnemann, who recorded figures of 5-49, effectively dismantled their batting order, quickly returning NSW hopes into despair.
As for the victors, Tasmania's performance solidified their impressive season, showcasing their competitive spirit and in-form players who can turn matches in their favor.
Western Australia, the defending champions, had a vastly different story to tell. After falling short by just 35 runs in their final match against Victoria, WA has officially been relegated to the bottom of the Sheffield Shield ladder, a disappointing end to their campaign. Victoria initially set a challenging target of 382 runs for WA, who went in with hopes of making a late play for the final.
But as fate would have it, Western Australia couldn't quite secure the required runs, despite Hilton Cartwright’s valiant 79 runs and Joel Paris's efforts during the tail end, with Peter Siddle finishing their campaign with a breathtaking 4-wicket haul.
“We had our chances, but we couldn’t convert them,” lamented WA skipper Sam Whiteman. “We should have fought through, but the boys put in a lot of effort against a strong Victoria team.”
With the matches now in the books, attention turns to the Sheffield Shield final where Queensland and South Australia will meet again. After battling it out in the regular season, fans are eager to see whether Queensland will take the momentum into the final match or if South Australia can rise to the occasion and claim the title.
As the two teams gear up for the showdown, anticipation is at an all-time high. With Queensland looking to uplift their championship after several near-misses, while South Australia is eager to stamp their dominance, the final promises to be a nail-biting experience for all cricket enthusiasts.
This Sheffield Shield final will not only provide thrilling cricketing action but also serve as a test of willpower and resilience, as both teams are determined to claim the coveted trophy.
