Fanning guides Western Australia to two-wicket Shield win
Sam Fanning batted through a hamstring injury at No.10 to guide Western Australia to a two-wicket Sheffield Shield win over Queensland.
Sam Fanning batted through a hamstring injury at No.10 to guide Western Australia to a two-wicket Sheffield Shield victory over Queensland at the WACA Ground. The 25-year-old opener had been on crutches a day earlier and could only complete runs with a hurried crab walk between the wickets. He finished unbeaten on 14 off 82 balls as Aaron Hardie remained not out on 80 from 128 deliveries.
Western Australia reached their 201-run target after Jhye Richardson took 5 for 19 to bowl Queensland out for 68 in their second innings. The win marked the first Sheffield Shield victory under new coach Beau Casson. Hardie was named man of the match for holding the innings together as wickets fell around him.
Fanning's match-winning contribution came after Western Australia slipped to 161 for 8 and still needed 40 runs. He combined with Hardie in a decisive ninth-wicket stand that sealed one of the more extraordinary finishes at the WACA Ground in recent seasons.
CricHubb Take
This result shows how a single player's determination can shift an entire match narrative, turning what looked like a routine chase into one of the season's most memorable finishes.