McSweeney in rare air after leading SA's Shield triumph

Nathan McSweeney has entered an esteemed group with South Australia's Sheffield Shield win, becoming just the second captain to lift all three trophies in men's domestic cricket.

McSweeney joins Steve Smith as the only skippers to complete the treble of leading their sides to Shield, One-Day Cup and BBL glory.

Like Smith, who captained an Australian Institute of Sport XI as a 20-year-old, McSweeney was identified as a future leader when appointed to lead Australia A at 24 during their 2023 tour of New Zealand.

Standing in for Usman Khawaja and Colin Munro during last summer's KFC BBL|13 finals campaign, McSweeney took Brisbane Heat to a long-awaited second men's title with a 54-run win over the Sydney Sixers in the final.

With his ascension to the South Australian full-time men's captaincy appearing inevitable, McSweeney was handed the reins of both the Shield and 50-over sides this season and charged with leading the success-starved state into a new era alongside first year head coach Ryan Harris.

Six months later the decision had been vindicated, with McSweeney navigating South Australia to their first men's silverware in 13 years by beating Victoria in the one-day final to claim the Dean Jones Trophy in early March before delivering the state their first Sheffield Shield in almost three decades last Saturday.

The drought-breaking Shield triumph sparked pandemonium at Karen Rolton Oval as hundreds of devoted SA fans stormed the field after the winning runs were scored to celebrate with the players, a flashback to the wild scenes at Adelaide Oval that followed their previous Sheffield Shield win in 1996.

Speaking to the crowd during the post-match presentation, McSweeney commented: "'Ryno' (Harris), first year as coach, I'm unsure how it gets better than this."

Smith, meanwhile, was the Big Bash League's inaugural title-winning captain when he guided the Sixers to the BBL|01 championship, before leading NSW to the Shield in 2013-14 and One-Day Cup in 2015-16.

Not even legendary Victorian skipper Cameron White (three Shield and two state-based Big Bash titles as captain) was able to achieve the treble, overseeing four one-day final defeats, including to Tasmania by one wicket and another to Queensland by two runs to come the closest to emulating the feat.

Moises Henriques (2016-17 One-Day Cup and two BBL titles) has won two Sheffield Shields but not as captain, while Ashton Turner's Shield triumph in 2022-23 was also as a player after leading Western Australia to three one-day crowns and Perth Scorchers to consecutive BBL titles.

Adam Voges (2014-15 One-Day Cup and two BBL titles) has coached Western Australia and the Scorchers to all three trophies, including Shield and one-day three-peats, but the state fell short in two Shield finals under his watch as captain.

McSweeney said it had been an "amazing year" at this week's fan event in Adelaide's Rundle Mall to celebrate SA's men's domestic double – the first time the state has won both the Shield and one-day competitions in the same season.

"It's been a long time since South Australia has been able to lift the Sheffield Shield and to be the team to do it was a great feeling," McSweeney said.

"A little bit of relief there (as well) and to see so many supporters come out was truly amazing and we loved every moment.

"A lot of us probably didn't realise how many cricket lovers there are in South Australia until we saw the scenes after the game … to win them a Sheffield Shield and see how much it mattered to all of them is very pleasing and is why you play the game.

"Hopefully this is just the start of something we can keep building on – winning two trophies is the goal and it'd be nice to do that every year."

Sheffield Shield final 2024-25

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