McSweeney feeling at home in adopted state

South Australia are on a winning streak in the Marsh Sheffield Shield.

Sure, it's only one match (a 208-run victory over Tasmania before the KFC BBL break), but with only two Shield victories in their last 24 matches, it's an unfamiliar feeling for the Redbacks.

But it's a feeling Nathan McSweeney could get used to.

Playing a leading role in both of those Redbacks wins, McSweeney is emerging as a key batter for his adopted state, who are now almost always without reliable performers Travis Head and Alex Carey due to their Test commitments. 

In the final round of the Sheffield Shield last season, McSweeney's 99 not out on the final day hoisted South Australia to a thrilling five-wicket win over New South Wales, the state's first win in four-day cricket in two seasons.

And in the last round of the Shield before Christmas, McSweeney helped engineer another victory, with his first-innings 118 setting up a sizable total against the then-second placed Tasmania.

For the 23-year-old it was his maiden first-class century and a moment he cherishes.

"That one was very satisfying for me," McSweeney told cricket.com.au.

"I'd played a few Shield games now and I hadn't quite got there, so to tick that one off is nice.

"Hopefully I can get a few more with a few Shield games coming up."

It capped a fine first half of the season for the right hander, who has compiled 306 runs at an average of 43.71 in his four matches to date.

He came as close as you can go without reaching three figures in South Australia's drought-breaking win at Karen Rolton Oval last season.

Finishing unbeaten on 99, McSweeney knew he had to put the team first to seal the victory, which he did with a powerful pull shot in front of square off New South Wales' Jack Edwards.

"Yeah, I knew how I was tracking," McSweeney said with a grin when asked if the thought of scoring a ton crossed his mind.

"I think we needed three to win and I was on 95.

"The boundaries there were way too big for me to hit a six so there wasn't really in the picture."

One of the first players to embrace 'Buddha' McSweeney – a nickname that has stuck after being coined by a pre-school teacher who thought McSweeney resembled the Buddhist icon - after his match-winning knock was fast bowler Brendan Doggett.

The pair have a strong connection; not only are they housemates, but both were contracted cricketers for Queensland and made the move to South Australia before the 2021-22 summer.

For McSweeney, something needed to change.

He was averaging 14.00 from five matches with the Bulls and the strength of Queensland's top order, which was to include Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, Joe Burns and Matt Renshaw for the bulk of that summer, prompted McSweeney to bite the bullet and make the move south.

"Queensland at the time, and still currently, their batting depth is quite strong," McSweeney said.

"Marnus, Uzzie, Matty Renshaw and Burnsy were playing the whole year so I couldn't really see a way in.

"South Australia offered me the opportunity to come down and at that stage I needed get a few first-class games under my belt.

"I'm so happy I did it. I feel like my game's improved immensely over these last 18 months now.

"And it was definitely made it a lot easier having Brendan Doggett come down (too).

"It's been great to have a familiar face, for when times haven't been going so good down here, home didn't see that far away."

Still buzzing from the BBL|12 final, "comfortably" the largest crowd he has played in front of, McSweeney will be fronting up against the Western Australians again when South Australia host WA in the Sheffield Shield at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.

Following that fixture, the two sides face off in a top-of-the-table Marsh One-Day Cup clash, with McSweeney's 268 runs (equal-third most in the competition) helping the Redbacks to second spot in the 50-over standings.

And he's hopeful that this is just the first sign that things are starting to click for South Australia.

"Especially in the One-Day Cup, we're coming second at the moment," McSweeney said.

"I think we're one or two games away from being in a One-Day final, so that's really exciting for us.

"And then Shield cricket, we finished with the win in the last game before the Christmas break so I don't see any reason why we can't hit the ground running and push late in both formats this season."