Sam Elliott made history for Victoria by taking an incredible 7 wickets for just 12 runs in their One-Day Cup match against Tasmania. His performance was the second-best in the history of Australia’s domestic 50-over competition. Elliott also contributed 19 runs without getting out, helping Victoria secure a nervous win by four wickets after a tense chase. Along with captain Will Sutherland, he formed a 56-run partnership, guiding the team to victory.
Dominance with the Ball
Playing at the Junction Oval in Melbourne, Elliott took full advantage of the green pitch and cloudy skies, tearing through Tasmania’s batting lineup. In only his 11th List A game, he took 7 wickets, a record for Victoria. The only bowler with better figures in this competition is Shaun Tait, who took 8 wickets for 43 runs.
Elliott described the day as something special: “I can’t even explain it. Everything just worked perfectly today. It’s my best performance ever, and it felt great.“
Elliott’s Record Breaking Performance
After Tasmania was bowled out for 126, Victoria’s chase didn’t go smoothly. At one point, they were struggling at 72 for 6, but Elliott and Sutherland saved the day with their unbeaten partnership. Elliott hit several strong pull shots, much like his father Matthew Elliott, who played 21 Tests for Australia. “Dad’s probably better at those shots,” Elliott joked. “But it was nice to step up with the bat when the team needed me.“
Sutherland also played a key role, scoring a calm 36 not out. Earlier in the game, Sam Harper had made a vital contribution with 43 runs and 5 catches as the wicketkeeper.
Tasmania Struggles from the Start
Tasmania was under pressure early, losing two key wickets within the first 8 overs. Elliott then entered the game and caused more trouble with his extra bounce and seam movement. He bowled 8 straight overs, removing Jordan Silk with his first ball and dismissing Jake Weatherald soon after. Four of his seven wickets were caught behind, and three were out trying to play aggressive shots. At one point, his bowling figures were 7 for 8.
Elliott explained he made a small adjustment during the warm-up, which improved his consistency. “I changed how I was releasing the ball. It wasn’t perfect, but the good deliveries were very good. Now I can go back to training and work on making that consistency even better.”
Improvements During Pre-Season
Elliott worked hard during the pre-season to improve his speed and fitness, especially focusing on increasing his run-up pace. Victoria’s bowling coach, Adam Griffith, helped him in this process. “In Darwin, I wasn’t bowling the way I wanted to. But after looking at some data, we made changes, and it worked out great.“
Tasmania’s Late Resistance and Victoria’s Nervy Chase
Although Tasmania’s last pair, Matthew Kuhnemann and Gabe Bell, put on 34 runs for the final wicket, they couldn’t stop Victoria from chasing the target. At one point, it seemed like Tasmania’s score of 126 might be enough to win, especially when Beau Webster and Tom Rogers caused problems for Victoria’s top order. However, Elliott and Sutherland’s partnership ensured that Victoria crossed the finish line.
Summary of the Match
Victoria: 128 for 6 (Harper 43, Sutherland 36*, Webster 3-20)
Tasmania: 126 all out (Elliott 7-12)
Victoria won by four wickets with 23.1 overs remaining.
READ MORE:
- Virat Kohli vs Sachin Tendulkar: Comparing Cricket Legends
- Top 10 Football Legends Who Shined in New Roles
