Hunt, Lehmann twin tons make Vics toil on opening day

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 Victoria Men VIC	5	4	1	0	0	0	5.32	4.3	33.62
2 Queensland Bulls QLD	5	2	1	2	0	0	8.18	3.8	25.98
3 Tasmanian Tigers Men TAS	5	2	2	1	0	2	3.34	4	18.34
4 South Australia Men SA	5	1	2	2	0	0	2.43	4.6	15.03
5 NSW Men NSW	5	1	3	1	0	0	3.32	4	14.32
6 Western Australia Men WA	5	1	2	2	0	0	1.61	4.5	14.11

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