Carey ton leads South Australia to Sheffield Shield title

Adelaide, Australia: 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 were 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 having earlier in the month triumphed in the domestic one-day competition.

South Australia had finished in the bottom rung of the Shield table in each of the previous seven seasons.

They had an early stranglehold of the five-day decider after taking advantage of favourable seam-bowling conditions to rout Queensland for just 95 in their first innings.

Quick Brendan Doggett, who was part of Australia´s Test squad during the recent series against India, claimed 6-31 as Queensland slumped to the third-lowest total in a Shield final.

South Australia gained a 176-run first-innings lead after Jake Lehmann, the son of former Test batsman and ex-Australia coach Darren Lehmann, top-scored with 102 from 151 balls.

Queensland appeared set for a hefty defeat before second-innings centuries from Jack Clayton and Jack Wildermuth revived their chances.

But Doggett, who was part of Queensland´s last title-winning team in 2021, took another five-wicket haul to limit Queensland´s lead as the surface flattened under the baking sun.