NSW hasn’t won a Sheffield Shield match in 21 months after loss to SA

NSW has won 47 Sheffield Shield titles, but the one-time powerhouse is a long way off that as a 21-month winless streak continued.

For the 14th match in a row, one-time domestic cricket powerhouse NSW failed to win a Sheffield Shield clash after a 10-wicket haul from South Australian bowler Nathan McAndrew powered his team to a massive 186-run win.

The Redbacks won just two of 10 games themselves in the 2022/23 season, during which NSW went winless for the first time, but wouldn’t be denied their first victory of the season in Adelaide, snaring the four final wickets they needed for victory early on the final morning.

Despite McAndrew returning match figures of 10-61, including 5-19 as NSW were rolled for just 136 in the second innings, SA batter Nathan McSweeney was named player of the match following his stunning century, which included taking 28 runs off a single over from rookie Blues bowler Jack Nisbet.

There was a sense of sweet revenge for McAndrew, however, who was born in Wollongong and plays Big Bash for the Sydney Thunder but was never given the chance to represent NSW in the Shield before making a move to the Redbacks two seasons ago.

Nathan McAndrew celebrates one of his 10 wickets. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Another NSW bowling discard, Harry Conway, took six wickets and riled his former teammates.

“I was off the field getting a poke from the physio and I looked up at the screen and Harry and Hughesy (NSW batter Daniel Hughes) were going at each other,” McAndrew said after the win.

“All a bit of nothing … I don’t think there were any lines crossed.

“The boys were all pretty motivated. Nathan McSweeney was unbelievable with the bat. Batters set ’em up and bowlers win them, and then as a unit we were able to bowl in tandem and get the job done.”

Having drawn their opening Shield clash to Queensland on the back of a brilliant and obstinate batting effort from the Bulls, after being in a winning position, NSW remain searching for their first win since February, 2022.

The Blues have lost or drawn each of their past 14 matches.