The South Australian Redbacks have recorded a convincing win against the Tasmanian Tigers at Blundstone Arena, denying the ladder leaders the opportunity to lock in a home Sheffield Shield Final.
All attention now turns to the game between Victoria and Western Australia at Junction Oval, which will decide the location of the Final, and the Tigers opponent.
Captain Jordan Silk won the toss and elected to bowl on a deck that looked bowler friendly, and Tasmania welcomed back Kieran Elliott as Riley Meredith made way in an otherwise unchanged eleven.
The bowlers toiled away early but were unable to make the key breakthrough, before a piece of magic in the field from Jarrod Freeman helped affect the runout of Kyle Brazell.
Conno McInerney fell shortly after, with both openers removed and the visitors 2-55. Brilliance from Kieran Elliott swung the game further towards the Tigers - wickets in consecutive balls to remove Thomas Kelly and Redbacks captain Jake Lehmann had Tasmania firmly in the box seat.
The dangerous Jake Fraser-McGurk was unable to fire and fell for 14, but the resolute Nathan McSweeney finally found an ally in Ben Manenti. The spinner chipped in for a valuable 29 before Beau Webster trapped him lbw, while McSweeney continued his counter-punching innings.
Now 6-149, Harry Nielsen added another 27 before Iain Carlisle had his number, but McSweeney kept edging ever closer to his century. Brendan Doggett was able to absorb 42 deliveries while McSweeney went on the attack, raising the bat for his hundred before Kieran Elliott finally removed the stellar number 3 for a brilliant 117.
Thanks to McSweeney, the Redbacks managed to post a very respectable 271, and things were only about to get worse for the home side.
A rampage from South Australia's lead bowler Nathan McAndrew saw the Tigers 3-27 at stumps, as the star quick secured the wickets of Caleb Jewell, Charlie Wakim and Jordan Silk to leave the Tigers all at sea.
Night-watchman Gabe Bell survived alongside Matthew Wade, but disaster stuck again early on day two, with Wade and Bell falling within three overs to Brendan Doggett - with Tasmania now in massive danger at 5-32.
The usually dominant Beau Webster was also removed by Doggett, but Jake Doran (52) and Bradley Hope (31) managed to pull Tasmania out of total disaster, as the Tigers were bowled out for 123, with McAndrew taking six wickets.
Tasmania needed early wickets, but the South Australian openers dug in for 18 overs before Beau Webster finally knocked over McInerney (16). Thankfully for the home side, this helped open the floodgates.
Bradley Hope snared the wicket of Brazell, before Iain Carlisle took the huge wicket of McSweeney, trapping him lbw.
Carlisle struck again in the same over, before Kieran Elliott got in on the party to remove Jake Lehmann, as South Australia stuttered to 5-72.
Elliott struck again to remove Fraser-McGurk, continuing his impressive start to his Shield career, but Manenti and Nielsen were once again thorns in the Tasmanian side, addind 33 and 53 respectively as the Redbacks mustered a total of 175, leaving the Tigers a total north of 300 to chase.
Unfortunately, it proved to be a mountain too high for Tasmania to climb. Matthew Wade was removed before the end of the days play for a duck, before Bell (once again night-watchman) and Jewell fell early on day three.
Jordan Silk and Charlie Wakim appeared to steady the ship, but both players fell to the pace of Doggett and Jordan Buckingham, with the Tigers once again floundering at 5-61.
Doran once again did his best to repair the damage, and along with superstar Beau Webster put on 60 runs for the next wicket, with Doran falling on 38.
Webster was defiant, and continued to play with intent, but fell on 68 as he began to run out of partners, and Tasmania eventually run out of batters to fall by 134 runs.
Full Scorecard here
