A career-best score from Nathan McSweeney and a sparkling innings from Jake Lehmann have lifted South Australia to a drought-breaking Sheffield Shield win against New South Wales at Karen Rolton Oval.
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Set a testing target of 326, South Australia reached 5-328 with six overs to spare after 17 matches without a win dating back to February 2020.
Needing to score at nearly four an over, Lehmann kept the locals on track with a boundary-laden 94 off just 89 balls.
McSweeney played the anchor role to perfection, ending unbeaten on 99 from 183 balls.
The allrounder hit a boundary for the winning runs but fell just shy of a maiden century, with his seven previous matches producing a best of just 35.
Lehmann and McSweeney shared a pivotal fourth wicket stand of 151 from 34 overs.
There were also notable contributions from Jake Carder (46), and also rookie captain Henry Hunt (25) who finished as the second highest run-scorer of the regular season just 16 runs in arrears of Victoria captain Peter Handscomb.
Lehmann took a liking to Tanveer Sangha, but the legspinner had his revenge with a mishit sweep shot lobbed to square leg.
Veteran wicketkeeper Harry Nielsen steadied matters in the final half-hour with 34 not out at nearly a run a ball.
The final-round win, however, was not enough to lift South Australia from bottom spot on the standings.
The result means NSW, who went into the match harbouring outside hopes of a spot in the final, finished the season in fourth narrowly behind Tasmania.
Earlier, an injury-hit NSW resumed on day four at 4-235, piling on 72 in just under an hour to allow debutant captain Jason Sangha to declare at 8-308.
Twenty-one year old Lachlan Hearne completed his highest first-class score before being bowled for 65 by McSweeney (4-89).
Bowling left-arm spin, McSweeney then dismissed Chris Tremain for a golden duck only for the Blues to close their innings ahead of the hat-trick ball an over later.
Allrounder Jack Edwards was the other main contributor for the away side with 38 off 44 balls.
Australian Associated Press
