Victoria claim Sheffield Shield title
Only New South Wales have won more titles than Victoria, with 45.
SYDNEY (AFP) - Victoria claimed their 30th Sheffield Shield title Wednesday in a seven-wicket win over South Australia, with Bushrangers skipper Matthew Wade praising a crop of young players for the stellar season.
Needing 98 runs to win on the final day in Adelaide with eight wickets in hand, Victoria made their victory target of 193 with the loss of just one more wicket as Marcus Stoinis (72) and Peter Handscomb (61 not out) secured the title.
"I’m as proud as I’ve ever been as a captain and of the young players who have come in and taken first-class cricket by storm," Wade told reporters.
"Travis Dean, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis, over the last three years they’ve come in and dominated in Shield cricket.
"And then we’ve got (Scott) Boland and (Chris) Tremain who have stepped up terrifically well for us in the last 12 months."
The Sheffield Shield is contested between the six states of Australia with each of them playing every other team in two home-and-away matches. Regular matches last for four days, except the final which runs for five.
Only New South Wales have won more titles than Victoria, with 45.
