‘Game on!’: Aussie star’s epic recovery mission sets up classic Shield final nailbiter

Test gloveman Alex Carey’s century has left the Sheffield Shield final on a knife’s edge as Victoria head into the final day at the Junction Oval needing 94 runs for the title with five wickets in hand.

The hosts reached stumps on day four at 5/102 with substitute Mitchell Perry and nightwatchman Todd Murphy, both on zero, at the crease in pursuit of their target of 196.

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Reigning champions South Australia appeared dead and buried earlier in the day when Scott Boland (3/78) snared two wickets in two balls to leave the visitors reeling at 7/122 in the second innings with a lead of only 60 runs.

But for a second straight Shield decider, Carey showed his class with a magnificent hundred.

The stylish left-hander combined with fast bowler Nathan McAndrew (60) for a 105-run eighth wicket stand to frustrate the Victorians.

McAndrew received a slice of luck on 43 when an outside edge off Boland flew between Will Sutherland and Peter Handscomb at first and second slip and raced to the boundary.

Victorian skipper Sutherland made amends shortly after by knocking over McAndrew with a brilliant nip backer - it was the No.9’s first Shield half-century in three years.

Carey then found valuable support from No.11 Jordan Buckingham (10*), who soaked up 23 deliveries to help the wicketkeeper batter reach three figures.

The Ashes hero eventually fell for 103 to Fergus O’Neill, caught at slip off a miscued ramp shot as he tried to keep ticking the scoreboard along even though the Victorians had spread the field.

“I think the full credit goes to the boys who came in and were able to occupy the other end, you know Nathan McAndrew was fantastic today,” Carey said.

“But I thought (Jason) Sangha’s intent last night was really good, he just got out. Scotty as well, Thorn (Henry Thornton) and (Jordan) Buckingham as well.

“To come out and occupy that other end, the intent stayed there throughout the innings, they’re a really good attack and I thought we did well to put 190 on the board.

“Game on, it’s going to be an exciting finish.”

McAndrew carried over his heroics with the bat to his bowling, dismissing Victorian No.3 Dylan Brasher (6) and opener Campbell Kellaway (16) in successive overs.

BBL player of the tournament Sam Harper was the first to go, bowled by Buckingham, and the early collapse had Victoria wobbling at 3/35.

Former Test duo Marcus Harris (35) and Peter Handscomb (28) steadied the ship with a 67-run stand.

But the door flung wide open for South Australia late in the day as Harris and Handscomb fell in the space of ten balls without scoring.

Perry and Murphy came to the middle to protect Australian Under 19 captain Oliver Peake as well as O’Neill and Sutherland ahead of what is set up to be thrilling final day.

Victorian coach and former Test opener Chris Rogers has the utmost faith in the rest of his batting line-up to secure a first title in seven years.

“Yeah, I am confident, we’ve been in these situations before and come out on top,” Rogers said.

“We’ve still got a lot of batting left in the shed, so we’ve got to believe we can get it done.… I think the deeper we can take this, the easier it’s going to get.

“We saw the air kind of felt like it got taken out of the ball a little bit (during SA’s innings) and it became easier to bat on.

“That’s what we hope is going to happen.”

Play on day five will get underway on Monday at 10am AEDT live on Fox Cricket.

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