VICTORIA have claimed back-to-back Sheffield Shield titles, romping to a seven-wicket win over South Australia an hour into the final day’s play in Glenelg.(Final scores: Victoria 399 (Handscomb 112, Dean 111, White 78, Worrall 6-96) and 3 for 196 (Stoinis 72, Handscomb 61*, Dean 54) beat South Australia 340 (Ross 72, Weatherald 66, Carey 50, Tremain 3-73, Holland 3-86) and 251 (Weatherald 96, Ross 71, Holland 5-76) by 7 wickets)
Set 193 to win, the Bushrangers never looked troubled on their way to their 30th title, Marcus Stoinis and first-innings century-maker Peter Handscomb putting on 112 for the third wicket, to get within sight of the victory target.
Entering the final day still 98 runs in arrears, Stoinis went on the attack, sweeping four sixes in one Travis Head over before being dismissed for 72 with the Bushrangers just 11 runs shy of victory.
Matthew Wade (2 not out) joined Handscomb (61 not out) to see Victoria through to the win, the Bushrangers becoming the first side to win a Shield final away from home in 11 years.
In a contest that regularly ebbed and flowed across the five days, the Bushrangers’ victory was set up courtesy of first-innings centuries from Travis Dean and Handscomb.
After wrapping up the Redbacks’ first innings early on the second day for 340, Dean (111) and Handscomb (112) combined for a vital 130-run third-wicket partnership.
South Australia appeared set to overcome the 59-run first-innings deficit without loss before Jon Holland (5-76) stepped in to become the hero for the Bushrangers – including the knockout punch of Alex Ross (71) on the last ball before lunch on Tuesday.
The match wasn’t without controversy, with Victorian bowling coach Mick Lewis fined more than $2 000 on the third evening of the match after he was captured tampering with the ball. (AAP)