South Australian cricket team

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South Australia
Personnel
CaptainAustralia Nathan McSweeney[1]
CoachAustralia Ryan Harris
Team information
Colours  Red   Gold   Blue
Founded1887 (1887)
Home groundAdelaide Oval
Karen Rolton Oval
Capacity53,585[2]
5,000[3]
History
First-class debutTasmania
in 1887
at Adelaide Oval
Sheffield Shield wins15 (1894, 1910, 1913, 1927, 1936, 1939, 1953, 1964, 1969, 1971, 1976, 1982, 1996, 2025, 2026)
One Day Cup wins4 (1984, 1987, 2012, 2025)
Big Bash wins1 (2011)
Official websiteSACA

First-class

One-day

The South Australia men's cricket team is an Australian men's professional first-class cricket team based in the state of South Australia. South Australia play their home matches at Adelaide Oval and Karen Rolton Oval, they are the state cricket team for South Australia representing the state in the Sheffield Shield competition and the limited overs One-Day Cup. The team is selected and supported by the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA).

The team's One-Day Cup uniform features a red body with gold and blue elements, the state's colours. They were known as the Southern Redbacks from 1995 to 2024, and officially competed under the West End Redbacks moniker from 1996 to 2024 due to a sponsorship agreement with West End.[4] The Redbacks formerly competed in the now-defunct KFC Twenty20 Big Bash, but were succeeded by the Adelaide Strikers in 2011 because this league was replaced with the Big Bash League.[5]

History

The former logo used while the team was known as the West End Redbacks.

The earliest known first-class match played by South Australia took place against Tasmania on the Adelaide Oval in November 1877.[6] In 1892–93, they joined New South Wales and Victoria and played the inaugural Sheffield Shield season. South Australia won the Shield in just their second attempt. They have won the competition 15 times in total while they have won the One Day tournament four times. They are also the current holders of the KFC 20/20 Big Bash trophy, defeating NSW in the 2010/11 final at Adelaide Oval. They will continue to hold the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash trophy, as the league is now defunct and has been replaced by the Big Bash League.

Over the years, many successful international cricketers have played for South Australia. Clarrie Grimmett played with them during the 1920s and '30s, taking a total of 668 wickets. This remains a state record. In 1934, Sir Donald Bradman moved to South Australia and joined the team after originally playing with New South Wales, and he started with scores of 117, 233 and 357 in his first three innings. Others include the Chappell brothers (Ian and Greg), David Hookes, Darren Lehmann, Gil Langley, Jason Gillespie, and Terry Jenner.

South Australia has also imported cricketers to play for them, with the most famous being Sir Gary Sobers, who appeared in three seasons during the early 1960s, and Barry Richards. Richards played just one season with South Australia but managed to set a state record for most runs in a season, making 1101 runs in the 1970–71 season.[7]

Squad

Squad for the 2024/25 domestic season.[8] Players with international caps are listed in bold.

No. Name Nationality Birth date Batting style Bowling style Notes
Batters
3Kyle Brazell Australia (2001-09-20) 20 September 2001Left-handedSlow left-arm orthodoxRookie contract
15Mackenzie Harvey Australia (2000-09-18) 18 September 2000Left-handedRight-arm medium-fast
22Henry Hunt Australia (1997-01-07) 7 January 1997Right-handedRight-arm medium
23Jake Fraser-McGurk Australia (2002-04-11) 11 April 2002Right-handedRight-arm leg spin
31Thomas Kelly Australia (2000-12-14) 14 December 2000Right-handedN/a
33Jake Lehmann Australia (1992-07-08) 8 July 1992Left-handedSlow left-arm orthodox
34Travis Head Australia (1993-12-29) 29 December 1993Left-handedRight-arm off breakCricket Australia contract
37Conor McInerney Australia (1994-03-30) 30 March 1994Left-handedSlow left-arm orthodox
47Daniel Drew Australia (1996-05-22) 22 May 1996Right-handedRight–arm off break
50Jason Sangha Australia (1999-09-08) 8 September 1999Right-handedRight–arm leg break
All-rounders
6Liam Scott Australia (2000-12-12) 12 December 2000Right-handedRight-arm fast-medium
38Nathan McSweeney Australia (1999-03-08) 8 March 1999Right-handedRight-arm off breakCaptain
-Aidan Cahill Australia (2003-03-20) 20 March 2003Right-handedRight-arm medium-fastRookie contract
Wicket-keepers
4Harry Nielsen Australia (1995-05-03) 3 May 1995Left-handedN/a
5Alex Carey Australia (1991-08-27) 27 August 1991Left-handedN/aCricket Australia contract
7Harry Matthias Australia (2003-06-25) 25 June 2003Right-handedN/aRookie contract
Pace bowlers
0Nathan McAndrew Australia (1993-07-14) 14 July 1993Right-handedRight-arm medium-fast
9Wes Agar Australia (1997-02-05) 5 February 1997Right-handedRight-arm fast
13Harry Conway Australia (1992-09-17) 17 September 1992Right-handedRight-arm fast-medium
21Jordan Buckingham Australia (2000-03-17) 17 March 2000Left-handedRight-arm fast-medium
35Brendan Doggett Australia (1994-04-03) 3 April 1994Right-handedRight-arm fast-medium
45Spencer Johnson Australia (1995-12-16) 16 December 1995Left-handedLeft-arm fast
58Henry Thornton Australia (1996-12-13) 13 December 1996Right-handedRight-arm fast
Campbell Thompson Australia (2004-01-18) 18 January 2004Left-arm medium-fastRookie contract
Spin bowlers
46Ben Manenti Italy (1997-03-23) 23 March 1997Right-handedRight-arm off break
24Lloyd Pope Australia (1999-12-01) 1 December 1999Right-handedRight-arm leg break

Honours

Jamie Siddons, captain of the South Australian Cricket Team which defeated Western Australia, holds the Sheffield Shield above his head, 3 April 1996.
The South Australian team celebrate winning the Sheffield Shield, 29 March 2025.

Records

George Giffen

First-class Records

Most first-class runs for South Australia[9]

PlayerRunsAverageInnings
Darren Lehmann11,94557.15224
Greg Blewett10,00346.09230
David Hookes9,78547.27216
Les Favell8,61038.09230
Callum Ferguson8,37138.05239
Ian Chappell7,88752.58164
Neil Dansie7,07935.04210
Peter Sleep6,65636.37226
Clem Hill6,63152.21133
Andrew Hilditch6,54741.96167

Most first-class wickets for South Australia[10]

PlayerWicketsAverageInnings
Clarrie Grimmett54625.89158
Ashley Mallett35324.11145
Chadd Sayers27925.86129
Tim May27737.31138
Peter Sleep27338.99218
Joe Mennie25627.11129
George Giffen24026.9170
Peter McIntyre23740.03115
Geff Noblet22517.9981
Terry Jenner21330.98120

List A Records

Most List A runs for South Australia[11]

PlayerRunsAverageInnings
Darren Lehmann4,08855.2489
Callum Ferguson4,08540.44111
Greg Blewett3,64540.50100
Tom Cooper3,02339.7785
Michael Klinger2,52452.5851
Mark Cosgrove1,97832.4264
Graham Manou1,55422.2094
Alex Carey*1,49436.4343
Travis Head*1,40641.3535
Jake Weatherald1,38336.3939

Most List A wickets for South Australia[12]

PlayerWicketsAverageInnings
Shaun Tait10322.9253
Kane Richardson8430.6452
Paul Wilson7523.4248
Jason Gillespie7029.8754
Mark Cleary6730.9249
Greg Blewett6333.0768
Mark Harrity5827.2941
Gary Putland5429.3834
Dan Christian5433.3342
Jake Haberfield5221.3829

'All Time Best Team'

Don Bradman's South Australian team blazer.

In 2024 SACA members voted for and selected a greatest ever South Australian Men's team consisting of 12 players - called the 'All Time Best Team'.[13]

Men's All Time Best Team
Clem Hill
Greg Blewett
Sir Donald Bradman
Ian Chappell
Greg Chappell
Darren Lehmann
Sir Garfield Sobers
Barry Jarman
Clarrie Grimmett
Jason Gillespie
Rodney Hogg
Geff Noblet

See also

References

  1. "McSweeney Captain of South Australia Men's Cricket Team | South Australian Cricket Association". www.saca.com.au. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  2. "Adelaide Oval". www.austadiums.com. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  3. "Karen Rolton Oval (Park 25) | Austadiums". www.austadiums.com. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  4. "State cricket teams return to historical 'South Australia' name". South Australian Cricket Association. 27 March 2024.
  5. "Index of /". bigbashleague.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 May 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  6. "The Home of CricketArchive". cricketarchive.com.
  7. "Sheffield Shield 1970/71: Batting - Most Runs". static.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  8. Ramsey, Andrew (25 April 2024). "SA turn to local talent to complete men's squad | cricket.com.au". www.cricket.com.au. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  9. "South Australia FC matches batting most runs career". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  10. "South Australia FC matches bowling most wickets career". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  11. "South Australia LA matches batting most runs career". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  12. "South Australia LA matches bowling most wickets career". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  13. "South Australia's All Time Best Teams unveiled | South Australian Cricket Association". 12 January 2024.