Labuschagne hails 'Queensland spirit' in season below their best

Marnus Labuschagne says it was the "Queensland spirit" passed down from generation to generation of Bulls players that saw them come within one catch of snatching the Sheffield Shield from South Australia.

After being bowled out for 95 on the first day of the decider at Karen Rolton Oval, Queensland fought their way back into a position of dominance early on deciding day of the Shield season.

Fighting centuries to Jack Clayton and Jack Wildermuth helped the Bulls set SA a challenging 270 to win the Shield and the visitors appeared to be in the box seat when Michael Neser and Mark Steketee reduced their opponents to 3-28 early on day four.

And it could have been 4-37 not long after as Steketee found the edge of Jason Sangha's bat when he was on 13, but Ben McDermott could not hang onto the low chance at second slip.

Sangha made Queensland pay dearly, hitting the winning runs to finish unbeaten on 126 and share a season-defining fourth-wicket partnership of 202 with Alex Carey (105).

"I said to the boys what we just achieved from being so far from our best (this season) to being very much in the hunt – 50-50 coming into day four for the Shield – is an amazing effort," Labuschagne said following Queensland's tense four-wicket loss in the final.

"We're one catch away there – get Sangha early and all of a sudden it's a completely different game.

"We were so close; that's the proud part.

"I've played in Shield seasons before and we were the best the whole season, like South Australia.

"But this specific season, we were nowhere near (our best) but we found a way. 

"We kept digging in, we had match winning performances here and there and we found ourselves almost stealing the Shield off South Australia, so I couldn't be prouder.

"The Queensland spirit just lives so deep with, it's past down from generation to generation, that fighting spirit when we're behind the game.

"We just found it – Jack Wildermuth unbelievable with back-to-back when both games (their round 10 clash and the Shield final) were done a dusted and he found a way to dig us out.

"James Peirson last week and then Mark Steketee and Jack Clayton to fight back (in the final), I'm so proud."

But Labuschagne said they had no answer for one of the most in form batters in the world right now, Alex Carey, who has hit three hundreds against them this season.

"Alex Carey has been in some outrageous form," he said.

"We tried everything and no team at the moment has got an answer; he's got three hundreds against us in three games.

"We tried to dry them up, we tried to go short balls early, we tried to hang it wide, and he had an answer for everything. 

"Credit to him and credit to the (South Australian) team, they've had an amazing season and were certainly the best team."

Labuschagne's own score of 61 in the second innings of the final was hit best red-ball innings since his two scores of 72 and 70 in the Boxing Day Test against India.

He now has the next month off before joining Welsh county side Glamorgan again ahead of Australia's World Test Championship playoff against South Africa at Lord's in June.

"I've played some really good innings here and there; I've just not nailed it as much as I would have liked (this summer)," Labuschagne said.

"That dismissal (in the second innings) … if I'm playing at my best, I'm not making those errors.

"There's a lot to like about how I played and how I went about it, but to get back to my best where I'm scoring hundreds I want to just continue to grow and learn finding that form."

Sheffield Shield final 2024-25

March 26-30: South Australia defeat Queensland by four wickets

The Sheffield Shield final will be broadcast live on Foxtel, Kayo Sports, cricket.com.au and the CA Live app

Squads

South Australia: Nathan McSweeney (c), Jordan Buckingham, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Henry Hunt, Jake Lehmann, Ben Manenti, Nathan McAndrew, Conor McInerney, Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Henry Thornton

Queensland: Marnus Labuschagne (c), Jack Clayton, Lachlan Hearne, Usman Khawaja, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Tom Straker, Mitchell Swepson, Callum Vidler, Jack Wildermuth