100 Years Ago: 6 November 1924

South Australia stunned

Adelaide: South Australia v Victoria

Sheffield Shield: Amazing Victoria Victory

SOUTH AUSTRALIA 518 (G W Harris 98, J T Murray 126, V Y Richardson 123, C V Grimmett 49; H S T L Hendry 4/134) and 233 (A J Richardson 46; F A Tarrant 3/50, H S T L Hendry 3/50). VICTORIA 343 (F A Tarrant 86, J L Ellis 69, J Ryder 42, A E Liddicut 43; C V Grimmett 5/97) and 409/7 (W H Ponsford 77, W M Woodfull 67, H S T L Hendry 109*, A E Liddicut 45*; C V Grimmett 4/170). Victoria won by three wickets.

This match lasted six days, finishing the day before South Australia’s match against M.C.C. was due to start, and resulted in a remarkable victory for Victoria, who had looked likely to lose all the way.  South Australia, the Cinderellas of Sheffield Shield cricket, had compiled a fine first-innings score and took a lead of 175 on the first innings.  Their second innings was less impressive on a crumbling pitch, but they still set Victoria 409 to win.  The promising young pair of Bill Ponsford and Bill Woodfull both scored fifties, but all seemed lost when six wickets were down for 236.  But Hunter Hendry came through with a magnificent century, and his winning partnership with Arthur Liddicut accounted for the last 96 runs.  This was a sad blow for South Australia, who rarely have a chance of victory against the two senior states.

The Victorian team included Frank Tarrant, the former Middlesex all-rounder, playing his first match for Victoria since 1901 at the age of 43.  He had quite a good match, with scores of 86 and 19, and three wickets in the second innings, and already some people are speculating that he could be selected for Australia in the Test matches!  The South Australian but New Zealand-born leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett bowled 92 eight-ball overs in the match, taking nine wickets for 267 runs.

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