Handscomb shines before SA pair dig in with key stand

Peter Handscomb has reminded Australian Test selectors of his talents, scoring another Sheffield Shield century against South Australia.

After the Victorian captain top scored with 103 on Monday at Adelaide Oval and declared seven runs behind the home side, a crucial sixth-wicket stand rescued the day for SA.

Daniel Drew (42no) and Harry Neilsen (41no) took the hosts from a precarious 5-82 to 169 at stumps, a lead of 176 going into the last day.

Resuming on 38 with the score 3-167, Handscomb anchored the Victorian innings on day three.

In reply to SA's 350, they were in trouble at 6-199 before Handscomb combined with Fergus O'Neill for a seventh-wicket stand of 125.

Spinner Lloyd Pope had O'Neill caught-and-bowled for 64 and Pope dismissed Handscomb, caught by Jordan Buckingham in the deep for the eighth wicket.

Handscomb, whose most recent Test was in March 2023, faced 180 balls and hit seven fours and two sixes.

Half of his 18 Shield tons have been against SA.

Handscomb declared at 9-343, with Pope and Hanno Jacobs taking three wickets apiece.

SA steadily lost early wickets in their second innings. After a duck in his first dig, No.3 and Test hopeful Nathan McSweeney was dismissed for six.

Opener Henry Hunt and Jake Lehmann starred with centuries in SA's first innings. But when impressive Victorian left-arm spinner Doug Warren dismissed them in successive overs, the home side was five down for not nearly enough.

That brought together Drew and Neilsen, who grew in confidence as they batted through to stumps.

Warren had claimed 3-61 from 19 overs.

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	6	5	1	0	0	0	5.87	5.3	41.17
2 Queensland Bulls QLD	6	2	2	2	0	0	8.18	4.2	26.38
3 South Australia Men SA	6	2	2	2	0	0	4.69	5.6	24.29
4 NSW Men NSW	6	2	3	1	0	0	4.65	4.9	22.55
5 Tasmanian Tigers Men TAS	6	2	3	1	0	2	3.34	5	19.34
6 Western Australia Men WA	6	1	3	2	0	0	1.61	5.5	15.11

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