Sheffield Shield final scoreboard: SA bowlers on fire in chaotic first innings against Queensland, Doggett stars for hosts

South Australia is charging toward its first Sheffield Shield title in almost 30 years after dismissing Queensland for just 95 on a day in which 16 wickets fell.

Test batsmen Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne both failed as Queensland made a horror start to the Sheffield Shield final against a South Australian side inspired by the feats of former Bulls paceman Brendan Doggett.

Sent into bat by SA skipper Nathan McSweeney at Karen Rolton Oval, the Bulls were bowled out on Wednesday for just 95 early in the second session, with Doggett the chief destroyer, taking 6-31 off 11.5 overs.

And while SA also found the going tough with the bat in reply – mainly due to some impressive bowling from teenage Bulls quick Callum Vidler (4-33) – the hosts were in control at stumps at 6-158, with Jake Lehmann (42 not out) and Ben Manenti (36 not out) at the crease.

“It was a good start,” Doggett said.

“We want to be the hardest teams to score runs against, we want to take the most wickets and be the most effective bowling attack.”

Brendan Doggett celebrates one of his six wickets. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Brendan Doggett has five wickets in a #SheffieldShield final for the second time in his career! 👏 pic.twitter.com/uDjnEvmelb

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 26, 2025

Doggett was also full of praise for Bulls speedster Vidler.

“He’s fast, he’s wiry, aggressive … he’s looking really good. Queensland’s got a winner there in him for sure.”

Vidler’s scalps included McSweeney and opener Henry Hunt, who both made ducks as the home side struggled early in its innings on a day when ball dominated bat.

Queensland’s own woes started earlier, leading to questions about the team’s preparations that were perhaps compromised by the controversy involving Khawaja and Queensland Cricket high performance boss Joe Dawes, who went public with his disappointment that the veteran opener had been unavailable for the Bulls in their final-round match of the regular season – also against SA.

A QC spokesman said there had been no issues among players in the Bulls camp leading into the decider.

However, Queensland made a horror start to the final, with Khawaja dropped twice before falling for just two from 28 balls when he was caught on the fine-leg boundary by Nathan McAndrew off the bowling Doggett.

Worse was to follow for the Bulls, with McAndrew capturing the wicket of Labuschagne for a duck, with the Queensland captain caught at leg slip by Jake Lehmann to leave his side at 2-16 in the 11th over.

The wickets continued to tumble, with Jack Clayton (0), Angus Lovell (8) and Ben McDermott (4) also falling cheaply as the Bulls slumped to 5-22 in the 15th over.

All-rounder Michael Neser and wicket-keeper Jimmy Peirson improved the score to 5-64 by lunch, but the fall of Peirson – who was trapped leg before wicket for 13 by Doggett at the start of the second session – triggered another collapse.

Nathan McAndrew and South Australia celebrate the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Neser top-scored for Queensland with a breezy 34 of 37 balls, but he received little support, with only three other Bulls players – Peirson, Mark Steketee (12) and Jack Wildermuth (11) – reaching double figures.

However, Peirson felt the game was “alive and well”.

“Finals are a weird things – sometimes funny things happen,” he said.

A life for Usman Khawaja in the first over of the final #SheffieldShieldpic.twitter.com/jljwcDU9Ct

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 26, 2025

McAndrew finds Khawaja's edge for a second time and the chance goes down AGAIN 🫣 #SheffieldShieldpic.twitter.com/H4Wrurq7DP

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 26, 2025

Third time lucky for South Australia as Usman Khawaja falls for two #SheffieldShieldpic.twitter.com/t7mvhoVSq8

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 26, 2025

“You’ve just go to give yourself a sniff, and good Queensland teams have done that for years. and we’re looking to do that for the rest of the game.

“If we can give ourselves a chance, bowl these guys out early (on Thursday), get in front of them, and give (leg-spinner Mitch Swepson) that spin on day four and five, it’ll be a really interesting finish.”

The Bulls went into the match without star batsman Matthew Renshaw, who stayed in Brisbane for the birth of his child.

SA left leg-spinner Lloyd Pope and fast bowler Henry Thornton out of its team, with Doggett and all-rounder Liam Scott called into the 11.

into the 11.

Originally published as Sheffield Shield final scoreboard: SA bowlers on fire in chaotic first innings against Queensland, Doggett stars for hosts