An astounding grab by Campbell Kellaway in the WACA outer field, recorded with blurry footage by live-streaming cameras, stood out as much more than just one of the most spectacular highlights of the 2024-25 season.
It could also aid in making sure Marnus Labuschagne continues to bat at number three for Australia. during the Ashes next summer.
At first mistaking a Cameron Gannon hook shot hit towards long leg, the 22-year-old Kellaway lunged desperately forward, securing the opportunity with his extended right hand. In this moment, he secured Victoria's win against Western Australia.
His performance brought to mind a younger Matthew Hayden in an ODI match at Lord’s as far back as 1993, though there was also a significant element of Adam Dale lunging to grab hold of Phil Emery at the Gabba four years later.
I honestly can't say I've seen a better catch," remarked Victoria's captain Will Sutherland about Kellaway. "Even with the filming, it turned out quite well, though not at the level of Big Bash cameras. But to make that grab facing the sun? It’s incredibly impressive—almost more remarkable than his 150.
That outcome broke Western Australia's four-year reign in the Sheffield Shield final, which means Queensland will now take their place. leading team from South Australia in the final match After moving up from last place to second in the concluding stages of the match, a winning run-chase in the fourth innings could have propelled WA into the finals.
Conversely, Labuschagne will have the opportunity to captain Queensland in the final and potentially achieve a score substantial enough to bolster their position. His uncertain grip on securing a spot in the Australian Test batting lineup facing potential obstacles posed by Josh Inglis and Cameron Green.
The national selectors will keep a close eye on the Shield final, considering it the most significant first-class match on the schedule for assessing a player’s merit when exposed to intense scrutiny just beneath the level of Test matches.
Furthermore, Labuschagne will be tasked with scoring runs against South Africa’s formidable bowling lineup, a key factor behind the team previously called the Redbacks securing victories in six matches this season. The potent group includes Nathan McAndrew, Brendan Doggett, Jordan Buckingham, and Henry Thornton, bolstered by the spinning prowess of Lloyd Pope.
Labuschagne is set to team up with Usman Khawaja in the Bulls' lineup as the Test opener has bounced back from hamstring and ankle issues that kept him sidelined for the last game of the regular season.
Kellaway’s catch sealed an outstanding performance where he scored an undefeated 165 runs, building on his previous efforts of 79 and 77 in the match against SA at Junction Oval.
Kellaway has been quite intriguing for us," commented Victoria's coach Chris Rogers. "We think we have a possible future Australian player, but he's really struggled. Playing professional cricket in Australia can be extremely challenging, particularly for top-order batsmen.
It has taken him considerable time to figure out many aspects, but how he has approached the past couple of matches shows that he possesses the skills needed to succeed at a higher level down the road. This is very encouraging for us.
Prior to the season, Victoria’s high-performance division raised concerns about the Shield points system with Cricket Australia. They believed that using bonus points from runs scored within the initial 100 overs of a first innings was diminishing the motivation to secure an outright victory and was unfairly favoring venues where scoring occurs more quickly compared to the MCG.
These queries were refined based on the concluding form of this season's Shield table, where Queensland secured second place even though they won one less match outright compared to Victoria—a scenario that has occurred just twice within the last three decades.
A little frustrating; I suppose we mostly have ourselves to blame," Sutherland stated. "We've had four consecutive losses, including two matches which we're certain we could have taken. This has been happening for several years now where we find ourselves at fault.
However, we must acknowledge that we secured victories in four matches while Queensland claimed three wins and still managed to reach the finals. This outcome is somewhat intriguing and perplexing considering the bonus point system at play. Despite having a youthful and promising team, there remains much work ahead.
Sam Konstas concluded his local season with a useful knock of 68 runs for NSW against Tasmania, and he will now await to find out if space can be made for him in county cricket.
The Tigers wrapped up their campaign with a win in Hobart, partly due to a five-wicket performance from the left-handed spin bowler. Matt Kuhneman, for whom the legitimacy of his bowling technique is no longer under scrutiny .
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