Ben Manenti and debutant Noah McFadyen shared a 148-run stand, both making maiden first-class hundreds, as South Australia built a 264-run first-innings lead and left Victoria 175 for 7 on day three of the Sheffield Shield opener.
ESPNcricinfo reported on Friday 9 October 2026 that South Australia, the back-to-back Sheffield Shield champions, have an innings victory in sight against Victoria at the Junction Oval. The twist is in the numbers: captain Ben Manenti made his first Shield hundred and debutant Noah McFadyen made a hundred on first-class debut, in the same innings.
| At a glance | Detail |
|---|---|
| Match | Victoria v South Australia, Sheffield Shield 2026-27, 1st match, Junction Oval, Melbourne, 7-10 October 2026 (day 3) |
| Victoria first innings | 244 all out |
| South Australia first innings | 508 all out in 135.3 overs, a lead of 264 |
| Centuries | Noah McFadyen 134 off 174 balls (16 fours, 5 sixes); Ben Manenti 128 off 154 balls (16 fours, 1 six) |
| Best bowling | Harry Hoekstra 6 for 103 on his Shield debut |
| Victoria at stumps | 175 for 7, still trailing by 89 |
Two maiden hundreds in one innings
South Australia resumed day three on 352 for 6, having been 165 for 5 on day two. Manenti, the Italy international, reached his maiden first-class century early in the morning with three boundaries in one Sam Elliott over. It was his first hundred after 12 previous first-class half-centuries. He made 128 off 154 balls before chipping a catch to Fergus O'Neill at short cover off Hoekstra.
McFadyen, 23, was playing his first first-class match and brought up his hundred with two sixes in three balls off Hoekstra. He finished with 134 off 174 balls, including 16 fours and 5 sixes, and was the last man out, caught by Matt Short, as the innings ended at lunch. The pair added 148 together, and McFadyen then put on 68 for the last wicket with No.11 Brendan Doggett, who was 19 not out. Hoekstra, a left-arm paceman playing his first Shield match, finished with 6 for 103.
Victoria's reply and the day four outlook
Victoria were 175 for 7 at stumps, still 89 behind. Campbell Kellaway made 54. Nathan McAndrew took 2 for 35, Henry Thornton 2 for 27 and Manenti 2 for 29, with Doggett adding 1 for 40. McFadyen had also taken two wickets earlier in the match, his first Shield wickets, including Marcus Harris and Peter Handscomb in Victoria's first innings.
O'Neill is 42 not out and Hoekstra 7 not out as they resume on day four. South Australia need three more wickets to complete an innings victory.
Read the full story on Cricinfo. Cricinfo.
Leagues are won in the draft. BuildXI is a fan game, not affiliated with the IPL or BCCI, where you run your own draft from IPL history: spin eleven real IPL squads from 2008 to 2025, pick one player from each, and play fourteen league matches. The goal is 14-0.