South Australian captain Johan Botha has dared his players to dream of a Sheffield Shield final after a tense one-wicket triumph against competition pacesetters Victoria on Sunday.
Botha believes the Redbacks shed their tag as perennial Shield easybeats with their nailbiting last-day victory.
Chasing 189 to win, the Redbacks made 9-191 with a concussed batsman, Sam Raphael, hitting the winning runs.
“For the team, for character, this is probably one of the best wins we will ever have,” Botha said.
The Bushrangers collected first-innings points to move to the top of the table with 22 points, two ahead of Queensland.
And the Redbacks, who before this season hadn’t won a Shield game since 2010, jumped to third spot on 18 points.
SA banked consecutive four-day wins for the first time since February-March 2009, and a third win in a Shield season for the first time since 2008-09.
“Before the game some guys were asking me `are you just trying to avoid the wooden spoon’,” Botha said.
“And I said as a group we are playing to be in the final.
“Three wins (this season) is the start of something.
“Teams around the country have probably thought before that if they can keep South Australia under pressure for short periods in Shield cricket then they (SA) will fall over.
“But what the boys have shown this summer … we have been under pressure for long periods and we have absorbed it and transferred the pressure and we have won games.”
SA endured a roller-coaster ride to victory, with Tim Ludeman (49) and 19-year-old Travis Head (35) falling just when the Redbacks appeared comfortable.
But Raphael, in his fourth game, emerged as an unlikely hero with a calm 27 not out.
Raphael retired hurt on Saturday with his score on 11 when struck on the head by a brutal James Pattinson bouncer.
The 25-year-old was concussed and told by doctors said there was risk in batting on Sunday but at the fall of the seventh wicket, Raphael returned.
“I don’t remember anything from yesterday but I will remember that one today for the rest of my life I reckon,” Raphael said.
Victorian captain Cameron White lamented a missed opportunity for his side, who controlled much of the game.
“Our skills let us down, it was definitely not our effort or our commitment,” White said.
