Lloyd Pope's Late Spell Secures South Australia's First Sheffield Shield Win Over Victoria in Nine Years
Pope, who made a name for himself as a young talent in the 2017 Under-19 World Cup, picked up his third five-wicket haul in his Sheffield Shield career — his first in four years. He was a constant threat throughout Victoria's innings, particularly as the pitch began to wear.
South Australia clinched a dramatic victory over Victoria, breaking a nine-year drought in the Sheffield Shield by bowling out Victoria for 207, just 16 minutes before stumps. Legspinner Lloyd Pope emerged as the hero at Adelaide Oval, claiming 6 for 74 in a thrilling final session that saw him take four wickets in 13 minutes.
Set an improbable target of 346, Victoria's batters held out for most of the day, raising hopes of a hard-fought draw. But Pope’s sharp spin and persistence on the deteriorating pitch proved too much, as he dismantled Victoria’s lower order in quick succession. The win not only gave South Australia their first victory over Victoria since the 2015-16 season, but it also secured them a spot in second place on the Sheffield Shield ladder.
The finish, however, was not without controversy. Victoria’s Campbell Kellaway was dismissed after being adjudged out at bat-pad. Kellaway, visibly surprised by the decision, seemed to believe the ball had come off his pad, with replays suggesting there was no contact with his bat. Regardless, his dismissal left Pope on the verge of wrapping up the game, which he did shortly after by trapping Cameron McClure lbw as the batter attempted to leave the ball.
Pope, who made a name for himself as a young talent in the 2017 Under-19 World Cup, picked up his third five-wicket haul in his Sheffield Shield career — his first in four years. He was a constant threat throughout Victoria's innings, particularly as the pitch began to wear. Although seamers like Henry Thornton provided key support, it was Pope's skill that proved decisive.
Earlier in the day, Victoria looked steady as Ashley Chandrasinghe and Kellaway held firm through the first session. Thornton eventually broke the partnership by dismissing Chandrasinghe, with Tom Rogers following soon after. Ben Manenti, named player-of-the-match for his five-wicket haul and valuable runs in South Australia’s first innings, took a sharp catch at slip to dismiss Peter Handscomb off Pope’s bowling, swinging the game back in South Australia’s favor.
Pope then stumped Sam Harper and bowled Mitchell Perry in the tense final hour, breaking the latter’s 25-over resistance. When Peter Siddle was caught at slip and McClure left a ball that went straight on, Pope secured South Australia’s long-awaited win over Victoria.
