South Australia will host this season’s Sheffield Shield final at Karen Rolton Oval, following an unsuccessful attempt to bring the match to Adelaide Oval. The decision was made after the Australian Football League (AFL) blocked the plans to use the iconic venue for the showpiece cricket event.
The South Australian Premier, Peter Malinauskas, had been spearheading efforts to get drop-in pitches installed at Adelaide Oval following the AFL match on March 22. The plan was for the Shield final to be played there from March 24 to 28, with enough time to remove the pitch block and restore the outfield before the next AFL game on March 30. However, the AFL, which holds exclusive rights to the ground from March 15 each year, raised concerns about player safety, leading to the final decision.
The Sheffield Shield final will now take place at Karen Rolton Oval, maintaining its scheduled timeslot from March 26-30. This will be the same venue where South Australia plays their final-round match against Queensland, which begins tomorrow.
Cricket Australia (CA) CEO Todd Greenberg expressed disappointment over the outcome, stating, “We are disappointed South Australia has been prevented from hosting the Sheffield Shield final at Adelaide Oval. The Sheffield Shield final is a significant event for Australia’s national sport, and we believe Adelaide Oval would have been the most appropriate venue.”
Greenberg went on to thank Premier Malinauskas for his strong advocacy, noting, “I would like to thank Premier Malinauskas for his advocacy in this matter and his passionate support of cricket and the South Australia Cricket Association which made an extremely compelling case to host the final at Adelaide Oval.” He emphasized that March is an important month for cricket and that CA will continue to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure appropriate access to shared venues across the country.
South Australia earned the right to host the final after securing an unassailable 15-point lead at the top of the Shield standings. This came after a four-wicket victory over Victoria in the previous round, ensuring they would finish as the top team with a game to spare.
There had been initial optimism that Adelaide Oval’s head curator, Damian Hough, could pull off the challenging task of preparing the venue for the cricket match. The plan was for the Port Adelaide-Richmond AFL match, scheduled for March 22, to end around 7:15 pm local time, after which the cricket pitch would be installed in time for the Shield final to begin on March 24.
Despite the efforts, the logistics of fitting three or even just one pitch onto Adelaide Oval’s famous eight-strip wicket square were a key issue. Furthermore, the transition period between football and cricket at the ground added complexity to the plan. The decision marks the first time in 13 years that a Sheffield Shield final will not be held at a major Test ground.
SACA (South Australia Cricket Association) chair Will Rayner expressed the association’s disappointment in the decision but acknowledged that it was not for them to decide. “SACA is disappointed not to be able to host the Sheffield Shield final at our traditional home of cricket,” Rayner said. “We were confident in our ability to satisfy every demand made of us with regards to player safety and financial indemnity.”
Despite the setback, Rayner turned attention to the team’s exciting prospects, saying, “Our focus now turns to the exciting opportunity to become the first SA team to win the one-day and Shield competitions in the same year. We look forward to hosting the final and welcoming thousands of South Australian cricket fans to Karen Rolton Oval.”
This development coincides with CA’s announcement this week that the MCG will host a Test match between Australia and England in early March 2027 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the inaugural Test match in 1877.
Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
