Can the festival spirit of the Sheffield Shield final survive?

The atmosphere in Adelaide has been electric but can it translate in to long-term interest in arguably the world’s most prestigious first-class domestic competition.

Queensland’s Jack Clayton holds his pose as South Australia’s wicketkeeper Alex Carey attempts a stumping Picture: Getty Images

Of all the fascinating interactions I’ve had with patrons on the grass banks of the Karen Rolton Oval this week, there was one that resonated with me. Two lovely ladies in their late 60s, who like many sat on the hill, were overwhelmed by a sense of nostalgia. I could relate.

The ladies were an embodiement of excitement that has not only gripped Adelaide but the entire state of South Australia. There’s something very special happening. The Sheffield Shield final is being played the week after the Adelaide Fringe has concluded. That festival is the one annual event that seems to bring the city together, along with hundreds of thousands from the regional and farming areas.

And even if the crowds at the first few days of this Shield final, for obvious reasons, don’t match up to Fringe numbers, cricket fans in the city have indeed come in their droves. They’ve embraced this opportunity to witness potential history, with South Australia hopefully ending their 29-year-long Sheffield Shield drought.

Chances are that Nathan McSweeney and his team might already have captured that elusive title by the time you read this. And if they haven’t, then it means Queensland have batted deep enough into Day 3 for this final to turn into a potential classic. Either way, cricket will continue to be on everyone’s minds this weekend, at least in Adelaide.

Credit to the South Australian Cricket Association, firstly for the efforts they’ve put in to convert this otherwise suburban ground next to the centre of the city into a venue fit for a grand finale. Whether it’s the temporary stands to the east, the many enclosures for the diehard and loyal SACA members on either side of the ground, which have all contributed to the festive atmosphere that’s befitted the big-match feel required for the final of arguably the world’s most prestigious domestic men’s cricket competition.

The crowd during the Sheffield Shield match between South Australia and Queensland at Karen Rolton Oval Picture: Getty Images

The Adelaide and SA faithful have just lapped it up and dispelled the rather cynical view around the “who goes to watch Shield cricket anyway?” narrative. They’ve even made themselves heard, showing off their partisan support by letting the Queensland players, including Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne, know they are in hostile territory.

There was a buzz around the place as early as an hour before the start of play on Wednesday morning, with the temporary car park behind the ground nearly running out of space. You of course could barely walk a few steps before bumping into someone who can’t stop talking about having been there on that famous evening in March 1996 at the Adelaide Oval to see Peter McIntyre and Shane George save the day and win the Shield for their state team. But by Thursday, there was a more spread-out demographic, especially with five different schools having decided to give their kids the day off and bring them along to the cricket. So, to say that Adelaide has been taken over by the cricket bug this week would be an understatement.

But then you wonder if this Sheffield Shield final is generating the same level of enthusiasm elsewhere in the country, with the footy season having kicked off in earnest. Not to forget the fact that, as someone in the crowd told me, the best current South Australian cricketer, Travis Head, isn’t even here, and is instead plying his trade for an Indian franchise in Hyderabad. Queensland are missing a key fast bowler too by the way in Xavier Bartlett, who’s yet to get a game for his IPL franchise.

There’ll definitely be those around Australia quietly barracking for the South Australians to get the job done, particularly the types who base their love for sport on the classic underdog narrative.

The Sheffield Shield final has attracted an eclectic crowd Picture: Getty Images

That’s what brings me back to my fellow cricket nuffies, Debbie and Sarah on the grass bank, and their very valid query about what next for the Shield. Just for the record, they can’t stop raving about the time the great West Indians used to play in the Shield, with one of them still gushing over the time she walked into the Adelaide Oval alongside Joel Garner. But what seemingly indelible narrative is the Shield left with, especially for those beyond the diehard cricket fanatics, once South Australia do end their nearly three-decade run without being called domestic first-class champions. To quote Debbie, will we ever see this level of excitement for the Shield final again? It is worth pondering over in a climate where long-form cricket away from high-profile Tests is being scheduled more around accommodating T20 leagues, and more so with the prospect of private investment coming into the BBL at some point soon.

So it’s probably wise to just soak in this energy and excitement around what’s transpiring at the Karen Rolton Oval and revel in the present, just in case it doesn’t get matched again.

Like even some of the highest-profile AFL stars in the city have been while making their presence felt. I’ve bumped into the Adelaide Crows’ Taylor “Tex” Walker on every day of the match so far, and he’s as deeply invested in South Australia’s progress as any of the thousand or so at the Karen Rolton Oval. And he’ll be there celebrating their historic triumph – if it is to be – alongside Debbie, Sarah and everyone else, romantic or pragmatist, who’ve made their way to the Karen Rolton Oval this week.