The final of the One-Day Cup will see South Australia and Victoria compete for the Dean Jones Trophy, named in honor of the cricket legend.
Nathan McSweeney, reflecting on South Australia’s last one-day cricket victory in 2011-12, when he was a young Queenslander, now aims to lead his adopted state to another title. He recalls watching the dramatic final against Tasmania where scores were tied, but South Australia won due to a higher position in the preliminary rounds.
South Australia has not lifted the one-day trophy since that victory. McSweeney is focused on changing this as they prepare to host Victoria at Adelaide Oval for the Dean Jones Trophy final on Saturday.
“It’s been a long time since South Australia tasted victory,” McSweeney acknowledged. “Winning would be truly special. Our team’s preparation this week has been top-notch, and we’re hoping for strong performances.”
Adding to their ambitions, South Australia is also leading the Sheffield Shield standings with two rounds remaining. They are seeking their first four-day competition win since 1995-96.
“We haven’t achieved the desired success in recent years,” McSweeney admitted. “But we started this year with the goal to be in this position, and everyone is incredibly excited. We are optimistic that our best cricket is still ahead of us, starting with tomorrow’s crucial game and hopefully continuing into the Shield games.”
In the One-Day Cup, both South Australia and Victoria have secured four wins. South Australia earned hosting rights by securing three bonus point victories.
In their previous encounter this season, Mackenzie Harvey, formerly of Victoria, played a match-winning innings, scoring an unbeaten 136 to guide South Australia to victory. Harvey, who joined South Australia after being released from his Victorian contract, has been a standout performer in the tournament, topping the run charts with 311 runs at an average of 62.20.
McSweeney praised Harvey’s contribution: “He’s been outstanding for us. His batting is exceptional, and his familiarity with the Victorian bowlers is a definite advantage. We’re hoping for another great performance from him.”
The One-Day Cup has been renamed the Dean Jones Trophy this season, honoring the legendary cricketer who passed away in 2020.
Victorian captain Will Sutherland expressed the significance of the trophy name: “Dean Jones was a Victorian cricket icon and contributed immensely to the sport. It’s a fitting tribute to name this trophy after him, making the final even more meaningful.”
For the first time, the player of the final will receive the Michael Bevan medal. Earlier in the week, South Australia’s Liam Scott was recognized as the tournament’s player of the year.
One-Day Cup final squads
South Australia: Nathan McSweeney (capt), Jordan Buckingham, Brendan Doggett, Daniel Drew, Mackenzie Harvey, Jake Lehmann, Ben Manenti, Nathan McAndrew, Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Henry Thornton
Victoria: Will Sutherland (capt), Scott Boland, Harry Dixon, Sam Elliott, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Ollie Peake, Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle
