Australian Domestic Cricket 2025-26 - 2 x titles to defend!

[amber_fluid]

Brilliant, wish they could play the final in late Feb when there is bugga all other sport on.

This is the one team that everyone in the state supports, there isn't another sport that can say that.

36ers

[Dutchy]

Brilliant, wish they could play the final in late Feb when there is bugga all other sport on.

This is the one team that everyone in the state supports, there isn't another sport that can say that.

36ers

South Australian 36ers?

[amber_fluid]

Brilliant, wish they could play the final in late Feb when there is bugga all other sport on.

This is the one team that everyone in the state supports, there isn't another sport that can say that.

36ers

South Australian 36ers?

Close
Everyone in the state supports them like the redbacks

[Jim05]

Brilliant, wish they could play the final in late Feb when there is bugga all other sport on.

This is the one team that everyone in the state supports, there isn't another sport that can say that.

So they’re “The team for all South Australians”

[stampy]

FOUND THIS

Some cricketers arrive on the scene like fireworks. Others, like Nathan McAndrew, are more like that stubborn ember in the corner of the fireplace that simply refuses to die out.

At 32, he is not young by Australian cricket standards. He is not old either. He is simply the guy who kept showing up.

Oak Flat is a suburb near Wollongong where McAndrew learned his cricket. When New South Wales failed to notice him, he crossed the Tasman.

Andre Adams, that wily Black Caps allrounder who became NSW bowling coach, made a phone call. 3 first-class games for Auckland in 2015-16. That was the taste. Just enough to know what he was missing.

Back home, the Blues squad was packed with names that filled newspapers. McAndrew could not squeeze through. Most players at that point, start looking at coaching certificates or club cricket treasuries. McAndrew looked south.

Jason Gillespie wanted bowlers who could do something special. South Australia had not won a Shield title in nearly three decades. McAndrew signed up for that. He made his Sheild debut at age of 28.

What happened next makes no sense on paper. A discarded New South Welshman walks into Adelaide & becomes the reason a drought ends.

His numbers sit there like a quiet argument:
48 wickets in 2023/24 season at 18.6 Avaerage & 39.5 strike rate.
40 wickets at 20.2 average & 40.5 strike rate in 2024/25.
38 this time at 23.4 average & 43.6 strike rate.

He has taken 267 first-class wickets now at 25 apiece. Has scored over 2000 runs too with 24.6 average, batting at eight or nine, usually when the situation is rotten.

This week against Victoria in the final, the situation was worse than rotten. South Australia were 122 for 7 in their second innings. The lead was 59 & trophy was slipping toward Melbourne.
McAndrew walked in & added 105 runs with Alex Carey. 60 of them his own. Then he took the new ball & picked up 2 Victoria's top order wickets. Took another on today. South Australia won from nowhere.

The Baggy Green is a conversation for another day. Australian selectors have their patterns, their favorites, their boxes to tick. McAndrew does not fit neatly into any of them. He is too old to be a project. Not so fancy or flamboyant.

But here is the thing about embers that refuse to die. Sometimes they burn down the whole house.

[Brodlach]

That’s an excellent article

[spell_check]

Ryan Harris should be a sports psychologist...sure there's a good crop of players, but it's that 'we are never out of it' attitude that is so golden. Always still looking for that crack in the opposition to exploit, (when they were 3/102 yesterday); or knuckling down with Carey and McAndrew earlier in the day.

One thing I like (perhaps ironic) is the Victorian sponsor on their shirts - their Container Deposit Scheme. Like today though, we were first.

[RB]

Didn't get to see it live unfortunately but what a match and what a ball to take the final wicket. Good for Thornton to play in a winning final having made way ahead of the final last season.

SA > Convicts

[spell_check]

Western Australia last season also broke a long running drought by finishing last for the first time since 1963/64. This season they have finished last again. Like SA winning back-to-back titles, this is also the first time they have had back-to-back spoons.

[Rik E Boy]

Didn't get to see it live unfortunately but what a match and what a ball to take the final wicket. Good for Thornton to play in a winning final having made way ahead of the final last season.

SA > Convicts

Ya sound like a Pom rolling that one out. Don't know about you but I don't know any 200 year old blokes.

Well done SACAs, a brilliant win. Didn't think much of that stupid 'not welcome' comment made by the Vic cricket administrator. Way to promote your sport you dickhead.

regards,

REB

[Aerie]

What an era for South Australian cricket, built on providing opportunity for cricketers around the country striving to be the best they can be to join the pick of the local crop, including a maturing Jake Lehmann, and a pair of cricketers that are up there as the best home grown talent we've ever produced. Certainly Alex Carey would be the greatest South Australian wicketkeeper and Travis Head's resume needs no explanation.

The nature of cricket these days is you rarely get the services of your international stars, but the commitment and output by Alex Carey has been phenomenal and matched by his performances and reputation during the same period in the international side. All class. World class.

The quality of premier cricket has improved as well, due to the influx of interstate cricketers pursuing their dream of becoming a professional, the addition of English cricketers available while attending the Darren Lehmann Academy and the reduction to an 8 team 1st Division. Whilst the system isn't perfect, it is better than it was. Every game was fought for vital points throughout the season and where Redbacks fringe players would once dominate, it's not as much the case any more. Importantly, each of these clubs has pride and tradition and with that comes an expectation to perform. Cricketers have become accustomed to wearing a variety of caps as much as they play a variety of formats.

Tasmania showed how it was done a decade or so ago and South Australia simply needed to adapt and accept population wise, it couldn't compete with the other four states, particularly those on the east coast. We are unique in that Adelaide Oval is the jewel of the cricketing world and a place cricketers want to come to play cricket. Karen Rolton Oval has been upgraded magnificently, as has the whole Park 25 precinct, and should only get better with the upgrade of spectator facilities on the city side and lighting improvements. The Shield win last year and the event that was, gives that oval instant credibility and stature that is needed as more first class cricket gets shunted from the "stadiums" - even though Adelaide Oval is still the perfect place to watch any form of cricket, no matter the attendance. South Australia has become a destination to come to play cricket and hopefully we can capitalise on that and the success this team has had.

[spell_check]

Karen Rolton Oval has been upgraded magnificently, as has the whole Park 25 precinct, and should only get better with the upgrade of spectator facilities on the city side and lighting improvements. The Shield win last year and the event that was, gives that oval instant credibility and stature that is needed as more first class cricket gets shunted from the "stadiums" - even though Adelaide Oval is still the perfect place to watch any form of cricket, no matter the attendance. South Australia has become a destination to come to play cricket and hopefully we can capitalise on that and the success this team has had.

It needs to have a proper grass mound around it ala Hagley Oval; or at least half way around, then you can erect temp stands and corporate tents etc in the other areas. Line the top of the mounds with trees = still parklands and trees.

[Aerie]

Karen Rolton Oval has been upgraded magnificently, as has the whole Park 25 precinct, and should only get better with the upgrade of spectator facilities on the city side and lighting improvements. The Shield win last year and the event that was, gives that oval instant credibility and stature that is needed as more first class cricket gets shunted from the "stadiums" - even though Adelaide Oval is still the perfect place to watch any form of cricket, no matter the attendance. South Australia has become a destination to come to play cricket and hopefully we can capitalise on that and the success this team has had.

It needs to have a proper grass mound around it ala Hagley Oval; or at least half way around, then you can erect temp stands and corporate tents etc in the other areas. Line the top of the mounds with trees = still parklands and trees.

Yes, there were plans up on signs at the Oval during last years Shield Final showing grassed terraces were going to be built on the outer side and there was to be a lighting upgrade for night cricket, with the existing being transferred to the Park 25 #2 oval, behind the KO Pavilion.

Fingers crossed this goes ahead: https://meetings.cityofadelaide.com.au/ ... ban%20heat.

[spell_check]

Karen Rolton Oval has been upgraded magnificently, as has the whole Park 25 precinct, and should only get better with the upgrade of spectator facilities on the city side and lighting improvements. The Shield win last year and the event that was, gives that oval instant credibility and stature that is needed as more first class cricket gets shunted from the "stadiums" - even though Adelaide Oval is still the perfect place to watch any form of cricket, no matter the attendance. South Australia has become a destination to come to play cricket and hopefully we can capitalise on that and the success this team has had.

It needs to have a proper grass mound around it ala Hagley Oval; or at least half way around, then you can erect temp stands and corporate tents etc in the other areas. Line the top of the mounds with trees = still parklands and trees.

Yes, there were plans up on signs at the Oval during last years Shield Final showing grassed terraces were going to be built on the outer side and there was to be a lighting upgrade for night cricket, with the existing being transferred to the Park 25 #2 oval, behind the KO Pavilion.

Fingers crossed this goes ahead: https://meetings.cityofadelaide.com.au/ ... ban%20heat.

That looks more inviting than what's there now. It looks like Santos Stadium. I was thinking that (or just grass only mounds) from sightscreen to sightscreen.

[Minimum Chips]

Karen Rolton Oval has been upgraded magnificently, as has the whole Park 25 precinct, and should only get better with the upgrade of spectator facilities on the city side and lighting improvements. The Shield win last year and the event that was, gives that oval instant credibility and stature that is needed as more first class cricket gets shunted from the "stadiums" - even though Adelaide Oval is still the perfect place to watch any form of cricket, no matter the attendance. South Australia has become a destination to come to play cricket and hopefully we can capitalise on that and the success this team has had.

It needs to have a proper grass mound around it ala Hagley Oval; or at least half way around, then you can erect temp stands and corporate tents etc in the other areas. Line the top of the mounds with trees = still parklands and trees.

Yes, there were plans up on signs at the Oval during last years Shield Final showing grassed terraces were going to be built on the outer side and there was to be a lighting upgrade for night cricket, with the existing being transferred to the Park 25 #2 oval, behind the KO Pavilion.

Fingers crossed this goes ahead: https://meetings.cityofadelaide.com.au/ ... ban%20heat.

That looks more inviting than what's there now. It looks like Santos Stadium. I was thinking that (or just grass only mounds) from sightscreen to sightscreen.

It does say toward the end of the slides that they will "re-use" some of the soil that will be dug out. I did hear years ago that the reason why they didn't put in terracing in the first place is because when they started the redevelopment, they found a heap of asbestos in the landfill. Hopefully it does get sorted as the concept drawings look great.

[Armchair expert]

They were doing work there yesterday near the train line but I'm not sure if that is part of a bigger project for the whole precinct.

[spell_check]

Last year SA achieved the highest successful run chase to win a Shield final. This year, the 195 set for Victoria to win proved to be the lowest unsuccessful chase in a final. In the first Shield final (1982/83), WA failed to chase down 283; bowled out for 238 by NSW. Also, the lowest target in a drawn final was NSW, hanging on against Qld in 1985/86; 276 was the target, they scored 8/258.