Cricket

Alex Carey's blistering 90 has given South Australia a glimmer of hope in their Sheffield Shield clash against New South Wales, but Nathan Lyon's late burst has put the Blues firmly in control.Carey, who has been in impressive form for Australia in white-ball cricket, carried his momentum into the red-ball arena, smashing 90 from just 85 balls. His innings was a counter-attacking masterclass, peppered with four sixes and numerous boundaries.After arriving at the crease with South Australia in trouble at 87 for 3, Carey took the game by the scruff of the neck. He targeted Tanveer Sangha, who had earlier dismissed Travis Head, and hit him for a series of boundaries.Carey's knock came after Head had also hit two sixes in his 30, but the left-hander was dismissed by Sangha when he was drawn into an edge outside off stump.Undeterred, Carey continued to attack, hitting back-to-back boundaries off Jack Nisbet and slog-sweeping Lyon for another six. He also reverse-swept and drove Sangha to the boundary, showing his full range of strokes.However, Carey's aggression ultimately proved his undoing, as he was caught in the deep trying to take on Lyon. His dismissal triggered a collapse of 4 for 5, with Lyon taking three wickets in 14 balls to finish with 3 for 45.Lyon's wickets included Daniel Drew, who was caught-and-bowled for a duck, and Ben Manenti, who was bowled by a ball that spun out of the rough. Captain Nathan McSweeney was also run out on 55, adding to South Australia's woes."I've been itching to get back playing. It's what I love doing," Lyon said. "I feel like I've been training the house down and in a really good headspace."South Australia will need to bat with more resilience on day three if they are to avoid a heavy defeat. The Blues, on the other hand, will be confident of wrapping up the match quickly and securing their first win of the season.

Western Australia's One-Day Cup woes continued as they suffered a dramatic two-run defeat to South Australia at Sydney's Cricket Central. The three-time defending champions collapsed from a promising position of 133 for 3, losing their last seven wickets for just 31 runs.South Australia's total of 166 was built around contributions from Daniel Drew (49) and Liam Scott (46). However, it was Western Australia's Bryce Jackson who stole the show with a career-best List A haul of 6 for 31.In reply, Western Australia looked set for victory with Ashton Turner (53) and Sam Whiteman (48) leading the charge. But the match turned on its head when Whiteman was caught at deep square leg, triggering a collapse that saw the last seven wickets fall for just 31 runs.Nathan McAndrew was the chief destroyer, claiming 5 for 40, including the wickets of Matthew Kelly and AJ Tye in consecutive deliveries. Ben Manenti then delivered the final blow, dismissing Turner to seal the win for South Australia.The defeat leaves Western Australia with their worst start to a season since 2015, while South Australia claimed their first win over their rivals since 2017.

Ryan Harris, a former Australian fast bowler, has been appointed as the new head coach of South Australia's men's cricket team. Harris, who played for South Australia during his playing career, has been serving as the interim head coach since Jason Gillespie's departure earlier this year.Harris' appointment comes after a thorough recruitment process, and he will take over the role full-time immediately as the team prepares for the upcoming season. The decision to split the head coach role for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League (BBL) has not yet been confirmed, but it is understood that this is becoming increasingly likely.Harris expressed his excitement and honor at being appointed as the head coach of South Australia, where he began his first-class playing career over two decades ago. He believes that the team has the potential to achieve great things and is eager to build on the progress made last season.Under the leadership of new captain Nathan McSweeney, the South Australian team has developed a strong sense of self-belief. Harris plans to work closely with the players to ensure that they are well-prepared for the upcoming season.South Australia finished fifth in the Sheffield Shield last season, an improvement from their fourth-place finish in 2022-23. However, they finished bottom in the Marsh Cup after reaching the final the previous season.Harris brings a wealth of coaching experience to the role. After retiring from playing, he worked with the Australia men's under-19 team at the 2018 and 2020 World Cups. He has also worked in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Capitals. Additionally, he had stints as a consultant with the Australian men's team while Justin Langer was coach.In 2021, Harris was appointed as Queensland Cricket's pathway manager. He applied to be the head coach of Australia Women when Matthew Mott left, having had a short-term stint as bowling coach on a tour of New Zealand in 2021. However, he was overlooked for the role and returned to South Australia as their bowling coach.

Tasmania's hopes of hosting the Sheffield Shield final hang in the balance after South Australia set them a daunting target of 316 runs to chase. The Redbacks, who are out of contention for the final, bowled out Tasmania for a paltry 123 in their first innings, with Nathan McAndrew claiming 6 for 44.In response, South Australia posted 175 in their second innings, with Harry Nielsen top-scoring with 53. Beau Webster was the pick of the Tasmanian bowlers, taking 3 for 37.Tasmania's chase got off to a disastrous start when Matthew Wade was dismissed for a duck in the penultimate over of the day. The Australian international was adjudged to have touched Jordan Buckingham's delivery as he shouldered arms.With just one day remaining in the match, Tasmania need to bat out of their skins to avoid an upset loss and secure hosting rights for the final. They will likely meet the winner of Western Australia's clash with Victoria in the decider, though NSW remain a mathematical chance of qualifying if the game in Melbourne ends in an unlikely draw.

Nathan McSweeney's masterful century propelled South Australia to a competitive total of 271 against ladder-leading Tasmania on day one of their Sheffield Shield clash at Blundstone Arena.McSweeney, a player on the radar of national selectors, anchored the Redbacks' innings with a gritty 117 from 174 deliveries. Despite being dropped early on, he seized the opportunity to punish the Tasmanian bowlers, particularly after the Redbacks found themselves in a precarious position at 195 for 8.McSweeney's partnership with Brendan Doggett, who contributed just one run, proved crucial in rescuing South Australia from the brink. The 25-year-old reached his fifth Shield century with a boundary off Beau Webster, showcasing his resilience and determination.Tasmania's bowlers, led by Nathan McAndrew, made early inroads into the Redbacks' batting lineup. McAndrew's three wickets, including the dismissals of Jake Weatherald and Henry Hunt, left South Australia reeling at 27 for 3.In reply, Tasmania's openers, Matthew Wade and Gabe Bell, managed to weather the storm and remain unbeaten at stumps. However, the hosts still trail by a significant 244 runs, putting them on the back foot heading into day two.South Australia, currently fifth on the ladder, may not be in contention for the Shield final, but a victory could deny Tasmania the chance to host the decider next week. The Redbacks will be looking to build on McSweeney's heroics and continue their momentum, while Tasmania will need to find a way to contain the South Australian batsmen and make inroads into their batting lineup.