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Premier Peter Malinauskas’ wish to relive childhood memories of South Australia’s last Sheffield Shield triumph is set to help ensure the final is played at Adelaide Oval between AFL rounds, after SA sealed hosting rights by all but eliminating Victoria.
Malinauskas has been a prime mover in complicated negotiations between the AFL, the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide Power, Cricket Australia and the SACA to find a way of playing the decider at the state’s premier sporting venue. SA last won the Shield in 1996.
South Australia’s Premier Peter Malinauskas.Credit: Getty
The plan moved from theory to reality due to a fifth-wicket stand of 148 between Jake Lehmann (105 not out) and Liam Scott (83) that allowed SA to reel in a fourth-innings target of 300 at Junction Oval. Lehmann cracked a hat-trick of boundaries to reach three figures and complete the win that banked top spot on the Shield table with one round to spare.
Two senior sports industry sources with knowledge of discussions told this masthead that a compromise would “almost certainly” be reached to have the final played at Adelaide Oval, given that SA had qualified in time for arrangements to be made.
If so, the SACA is expected to offer free admission to the final for spectators.
While talks are ongoing, the likely outcome will see the Shield final played from Monday, March 24, to Friday, March 28, slotting in between Port Adelaide’s round two game against Richmond on Saturday, March 22, and the Crows’ round three fixture against North Melbourne on Sunday, March 30. CA’s program originally had the Shield final starting on Wednesday, March 26.
Centurion Jake Lehmann and Ben Manenti guided SA home against Victoria.Credit: Getty Images
Malinauskas, now 44, has recalled racing from school to the cricket ground to watch the closing moments of the dramatic draw that secured SA’s most recent Shield title in 1996, and believes this opportunity for his state to again host the final is too important for it to be played anywhere but the Adelaide Oval.
“This issue has been drawn to my attention, I did spend a bit of time on the weekend making a few calls,” Malinauskas told the ABC last week. “I’m pretty optimistic that with some hard-headed reason, there’s a compromise to be had here that would allow it to be played at Adelaide Oval.
Premier Peter Malinauskas’ wish to relive childhood memories of South Australia’s last Sheffield Shield triumph is set to help ensure the final is played at Adelaide Oval between AFL rounds, after SA sealed hosting rights by all but eliminating Victoria.
Malinauskas has been a prime mover in complicated negotiations between the AFL, the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide Power, Cricket Australia and the SACA to find a way of playing the decider at the state’s premier sporting venue. SA last won the Shield in 1996.
South Australia’s Premier Peter Malinauskas.Credit: Getty
The plan moved from theory to reality due to a fifth-wicket stand of 148 between Jake Lehmann (105 not out) and Liam Scott (83) that allowed SA to reel in a fourth-innings target of 300 at Junction Oval. Lehmann cracked a hat-trick of boundaries to reach three figures and complete the win that banked top spot on the Shield table with one round to spare.
Two senior sports industry sources with knowledge of discussions told this masthead that a compromise would “almost certainly” be reached to have the final played at Adelaide Oval, given that SA had qualified in time for arrangements to be made.
If so, the SACA is expected to offer free admission to the final for spectators.
While talks are ongoing, the likely outcome will see the Shield final played from Monday, March 24, to Friday, March 28, slotting in between Port Adelaide’s round two game against Richmond on Saturday, March 22, and the Crows’ round three fixture against North Melbourne on Sunday, March 30. CA’s program originally had the Shield final starting on Wednesday, March 26.
Centurion Jake Lehmann and Ben Manenti guided SA home against Victoria.Credit: Getty Images
Malinauskas, now 44, has recalled racing from school to the cricket ground to watch the closing moments of the dramatic draw that secured SA’s most recent Shield title in 1996, and believes this opportunity for his state to again host the final is too important for it to be played anywhere but the Adelaide Oval.
“This issue has been drawn to my attention, I did spend a bit of time on the weekend making a few calls,” Malinauskas told the ABC last week. “I’m pretty optimistic that with some hard-headed reason, there’s a compromise to be had here that would allow it to be played at Adelaide Oval.
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