Mackenzie Harvey sets sights on former teammates as SA zeros in on snapping 13-year trophy drought

He was discarded by Victoria and now a star SA batsman hopes to make show them what they’re missing out on in Saturday’s One-Day Cup final at Adelaide Oval, writes Andrew Capel.

Mackenzie Harvey says he “wouldn’t have believed any part of it’’ if you had told him a year ago that he would be playing for South Australia in a One-Day Cup final against his home state Victoria.

Now he is charged with getting SA off to flying start with the bat against his former teammates at Adelaide Oval on Saturday as the men in red chase their first state silverware since 2011-12.

“It should be fun,’’ the 24-year-old, hard-hitting, left-handed opening batsman said.

“I never thought I’d be in this position but I got a taste of it earlier in the season (playing against Victoria) and it would be nice to get one over them this weekend.’’

A former Australia under-19 captain, Harvey was lured to SA at the end of last season after losing his Victorian state contract the previous year.

A white-ball specialist who plays BBL for the Melbourne Renegades, Harvey has enjoyed a standout One-Day Cup season for his new state, belting a competition-high 311 runs in the 50-over format at a stellar average of 62.2, with two centuries.

The first – his maiden One-Day Cup hundred – came against his former team Victoria in just his third match for SA in November when he scored a brilliant, unbeaten 134 from 110 balls as coach Ryan Harris’s reborn outfit chased down the Vics 7-286 for the loss of only one wicket in the 38th over at Karen Rolton Oval.

Mackenzie Harvey at Adelaide Oval this week. Picture: Ben Clark

The second came last Sunday when Harvey smashed a superb 129 from 118 balls against Tasmania to lead SA’s charge to an imposing 9-329, only to be outdone by Mitch Owen’s incredible 149 from 69 deliveries as Tassie chased down the target for the loss of eight wickets.

Now Harvey, the nephew of former Australian ODI all-rounder Ian Harvey, has his sights set on leading SA to its first One-Day Cup title since 2011-12 – at the expense of his former state.

“Coming from Victoria, I know what the rivalry is like between the two states and hopefully we (SA) can get one up on them,’’ he said.

Harvey knows what to expect from the Victorian bowlers, having come through the state’s pathways program with many of them.

He is not sure whether that is an advantage or disadvantage.

“It can be an advantage but it can also be a little bit of a downfall, expecting certain things to happen,’’ Harvey said.

“So while it’s nice to know mainly what they do, at the end of the day they are just other bowlers coming down at me and they all have good balls in them, like every other bowler in the country.

“So it’s just about respecting everything they throw at us. I’ll just try to do my job out in the middle and try to put us in the best position possible to win some silverware.’’

Mackenzie Harvey celebrates his One-Day Cup century against Tasmania on Sunday. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Mackenzie Harvey thumps a boundary for South Australia in its One-Day Cup match against Tasmania at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Harvey – lured to SA on a two-year deal in a bid to improve its underperforming batting stocks – is preparing for some good-natured banter to come his way.

“Yeah, definitely,’’ he said.

“There might be some words exchanged here and there but it will all be a bit of fun because I’m pretty good mates with all of their players.

“Being over there for so many years you build relationships and you don’t lose those when you move states.’’

Harvey, who is also an elite fielder, said he was relishing his move to SA after making 13 List-A appearances for Victoria and playing 40 BBL matches for the Renegades in five seasons before losing his state contract at the end of 2022-23.

“The move’s been amazing and was something I definitely needed to do because I needed a mental refresh,’’ he said.

“Sometimes when you are stuck doing the same things you need to get out and start afresh and I’m very grateful to SA for giving me the opportunity.

“Losing my Victorian contract wasn’t ideal but, looking back, it was probably the best thing for me because I went back to club cricket (for Carlton, where he shone to win a premiership) and just went about trying to enjoy my cricket again.

“That was important because it can be a pretty tough sport to be involved in when you’re not enjoying it. When the opportunity to move to SA arose I took a chance on it and it’s paying off.’’

Harvey is yet to break through to first-class level but believes he has the tools to play red-ball cricket.

“That’s definitely a goal, to try to play every format possible,’’ he said.

But his immediate goal is to hold the Dean Jones Trophy aloft on Saturday.

Originally published as Mackenzie Harvey sets sights on former teammates as SA zeros in on snapping 13-year trophy drought