SOUTH Australia’s (SA) nightmare summer is over, with their Marsh Sheffield Shield and Marsh One-Day Cup teams failing to win a domestic game in 2020-21.
Victoria prevailed over SA by 21 runs in their one-day game yesterday, handing Redbacks a 0-5 record to end their season.
Also winless in the Shield this summer, the Redbacks are the first men’s team to go through a summer of top-level interstate cricket without success in either format since Tasmania’s pair of winless seasons from 1984 to 1986. Played in glorious conditions at the CitiPower Centre in St Kilda, a spirited chase by the Redbacks wasn’t enough as they just fell short of an unlikely comeback, losing by 21 runs. Travis Head top-scored with 77 and Harry Nielsen added 51 of his own, but smart bowling in the final overs got Victoria across the line.
It was the Victorians who lost the toss and were put in to bat with captain Peter Handscomb and Jonathan Merlo shining.
The home side set a total of 333-7, scoring at 6.66 runs per over and were led by centuries to Handscomb (131) and Merlo (111).

The fourth-wicket partnership of 205 runs was the fourth highest in Victoria’s history.
Victoria’s strong showing was only marred by the early loss of Sam Harper, who was given out in bizarre fashion after obstructing a would-be run-out throw by Dan Worrall
Wes Agar finished with 3-46 to top the bowling for Redbacks, as their attack struggled to crack the partnership of Handscomb and Merlo, which finally ended in the 45th over.
South Australia’s top five batsmen combined for 239 runs and were looking strong before debutant Sam Elliott grabbed the crucial wicket of Travis Head.
Elliott, the son of former Test cricketer Matthew Elliot, finished with 2-60 off nine overs.
South Australia’s innings looked likely to deflate when Harry Nielsen was dismissed with the score at 267-7, but Sam Kerber and Corey Kelly showed resilience with 22 and 23 respectively.
In the end, their efforts weren’t enough as Merlo and Elliott saw off the tail-enders, capping off Victoria’s season with their first win. (Cricket.com.au)