Lehmann leads SA charge in battle with Bulls

A fighting 74 from Jake Lehmann has given South Australia hope of defeating Queensland in their Sheffield Shield clash at the Gabba.

SA's leading run-scorer in this season's competition helped his side recover from 6-81 to all out 214, giving SA a lead of 29 runs over Queensland after their first innings.

In reply, the Bulls ended day three at 4-110 with Lachlan Hearne (53) helping the hosts go to stumps with an 81-run lead.

With his fourth score of fifty or more this season, Lehmann has now amassed 531 runs at an average of 44.25 in the tournament.

One of the state's three centurions in their drought-breaking Sheffield Shield triumph last March, Lehmann has continued his form across this edition of the Sheffield Shield and currently sits as the second-highest run-scorer in the competition, just 27 runs behind Victorian veteran Peter Handscomb.

SA resumed day two at 4-62 trailing the Bulls by 123 runs, and both overnight batters were dismissed in the first half an hour of play.

Jason Sangha (28) was the first man to go after Hugh Weibgen took his second excellent catch for the match, this time diving to his left at third slip to give Queensland their fifth SA wicket.

Nightwatchman Nathan McAndrew (6) fell on the first ball of the next over when he pulled a short Michael Neser (2-44) delivery that went straight to Jem Ryan at fine leg.

From 6-81, Lehmann and Liam Scott (32) resurrected South Australia's innings with an important stand that took the visitors to 6-149 at lunch.

With Lehmann pushing on past fifty after the break, the pair added a further 22 runs before Scott was caught by Queensland skipper Marnus Labuschagne at third slip off the bowling of Ryan (3-58).

The dismissal ended a significant 90-run partnership between the South Australians – the biggest stand of the match so far.

Hanno Jacobs (21) helped Lehmann build South Australia's lead before Mitch Swepson (2-32) took his first wicket of the match.

Labuschagne then brought himself back into the attack with success as he dismissed Jordan Buckingham for a fifth-ball duck.

Lehmann was the last man out for SA when a diving Jimmy Peirson caught the left-hand bat after his attempted sweep shot ricocheted from his pad into the wicketkeeper's gloves.

The visitors were bowled out for 214, leading Queensland by 29 runs after their first innings.

In reply, the Bulls lost three wickets in the space of thirteen balls as SA tore through Queensland's top order.

McAndrew (2-30) started the carnage with the wicket of Hugo Burdon (4) who was caught attempting a drive that landed in the hands of Nathan McSweeney at second slip.

Debutant Campbell Thompson (1-28), who troubled Usman Khawaja (4) yesterday, took the former Test opener's wicket on day two after a leading edge from the 39-year-old found Jacobs in the gully.

Then with the catch of the day, Labuschagne (2) fell to a stunning grab down the leg-side from Alex Carey giving McAndrew his second scalp.

Now 3-10, Hearne joined Weibgen (31no) in the middle of the Gabba to form an important partnership for the hosts.

Hearne hit five boundaries and passed fifty for the second time in this season's competition before Jacobs found the breakthrough for SA.

The left-hander and Weibgen combined for an 87-run partnership until Hearne holed out to McAndrew at deep backward square.

Peirson (6no) and Weibgen safely navigated the remaining 9.3 overs before stumps.

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	7	5	2	0	0	0	5.87	6.3	42.17
2 Queensland Bulls QLD	7	3	2	2	0	0	8.18	5.2	33.38
3 Tasmanian Tigers Men TAS	7	3	3	1	0	2	3.73	6	26.73
4 South Australia Men SA	7	2	2	3	0	0	4.69	6.6	26.29
5 NSW Men NSW	7	2	3	2	0	0	4.67	5.9	24.57
6 Western Australia Men WA	7	1	4	2	0	0	1.61	6.5	16.11

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