SA were teetering at 3-58 before centuries to Henry Hunt and Jake Lehmann put them in control
Centuries to Henry Hunt and Jake Lehmann have given South Australia early control of their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at Adelaide Oval.
Peter Handscomb’s decision to bowl was paying off when Mitchell Perry took his third wicket, leaving the home side in trouble at 3-58.
That brought together Hunt and Lehmann, who steadily took the game away from Victoria and at stumps SA were 3-270.
Hunt carried his bat through the day and scored a grinding 121 from 300 balls, with 10 fours and one six.
Lehmann’s 107 from 180 balls, featuring seven fours, is his fourth ton in as many Shield games going back to last season, which included 102 in the first innings of their Shield final triumph over Queensland.
Victoria could have had SA in even bigger early trouble.
Hunt had made 33 and the score was 114 when he drove at a wide delivery from paceman David Moody and edged straight to Blake Macdonald at first slip.
But the chance was grassed, and it proved costly for Victoria.
It was the slowest of Hunt’s 11 Shield tons and he said Lehmann’s innings had been pivotal.
“The momentum shifted when he came out – his presence at the crease, to put some pressure back on (Victoria),” Hunt said.
“To be 3-270, that’s almost a perfect day for us.”
Perry had taken 3-61 from 20 overs to spearhead the Victorian attack as both Scott Boland and Fergus O’Neill toiled economically but were unable to prize as breakthrough.
Sheffield Shield 2025-26 standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Drawn
D
No results
N/R
Deductions
Ded.
Batting Bonus
Bat
Bowling Bonus
Bowl
Total points
PTS
1
NSW
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
QLD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
SA
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
TAS
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
VIC
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
WA
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
D: Drawn
N/R: No results
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
Bowl: Bowling Bonus
PTS: Total points
