Redback-to-back: With Shield glory, South Australia become pride of state, again

"GO THE mighty Redbacks. Back-to-back champions. Woohooo…"

Less than half an hour after South Australia sealed their second consecutive Sheffield Shield championship in Melbourne for the first time in history, the streets in Adelaide began to soak in the enormity of the achievement—with car windows down and excitement expressed with unbridled gusto.

Every cricket fan in the city spent Monday morning watching or listening to the action at Junction Oval. Thanks to the South Australian bowlers, led by Nathan McAndrew, they didn’t have to stay away from work for too long. The defending champions took less than 11 overs on the fifth morning to wrap up Victoria’s innings, completing a comprehensive 56-run win in a nail-biting contest. A dramatic collapse of 7/37 in 14 overs delivered the decisive knockout punch to the home team, who had entered the final as firm favourites.

The encore moment of glory was on most lips as the morning wore on. A woman wheeling her shopping trolley whispered, "how good was that from our boys," noting state cricketers are often spotted at her son’s cafe in St Peters. A couple declared the team deserves every plaudit, suggesting, "There needs to be a statewide holiday for us to celebrate this win."

South Australian legend KG Cunningham, a former Sheffield Shield winner from the 1960s and 70s, shouted, "You little beauty…" on the radio, raving about the brilliance of Alex Carey.

By midday, "Redback-to-back" was trending across the state—a far cry from years ago when the team was mistakenly called the "Redlegs" during a city fitness camp.

They ended a 29-year drought in Australia’s premier domestic cricket competition last year. Twelve months on, they did the unthinkable, beating the best team in their den to retain the Shield. After nearly three decades of heartache, they became temporary darlings of the state in March 2025. By 10.25 am Adelaide time on Monday, Nathan McSweeney and his team had become the pride of South Australia.

This season’s journey to Shield glory was different. South Australia had booked a home final with a couple of rounds left in the home-and-away stage, starting the final against Queensland as favourites. Here, they faced a Victorian team that had dominated the competition with seven outright wins, beginning with a narrow win at Adelaide Oval in October.

That was the first of two losses for South Australia to kick off their Shield defence—a jittery start compared to last year. Though they consolidated from there, winning four and drawing four of their remaining games, they never looked set for the final until the last few weeks, when they outlasted Queensland.

They got there through a different trajectory but the same hard-nosed approach coach Ryan Harris ingrained in them last year: the mantra of "staying in the fight," brought by the former fast bowler renowned for never knowing when he was beaten.

It was on full display as Alex Carey and Nathan McAndrew clawed their team out of a precarious position in the second innings, and as the bowlers stuck to their guns when Victoria looked commanding during the run-chase with veterans Marcus Harris and Peter Handscomb at the crease.

As the visitors collapsed on the third evening, fears arose that they’d lose their Shield within the first half of Day 4. But Carey showed why he’s the most in-form batter in long-form cricket in the country, apart from being a cult hero in his state.

He scored a dazzling century in South Australia’s run-chase last year after walking out at 3/28; here, he did the same to set up a defendable total. At 3/35, still trailing by 30 runs, when he walked out on the third evening in Melbourne, and by the time he was done, his team had 196 to defend. McAndrew played his role in characteristically wholehearted fashion, scoring 60 and taking four wickets, while young Liam Scott and Henry Thornton played their parts to perfection.

Harris and McSweeney will return to Adelaide tomorrow morning, their achievement heralded publicly at Rundle Mall in the city center. Hundreds of proud South Australians will be waiting—waiting to celebrate the pride of South Australia.