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Limping Sam Fanning guides Western Australia to famous two-wicket Sheffield Shield win

Western Australia staged one of the most dramatic comebacks in Sheffield Shield history to defeat Queensland by two wickets at the WACA Ground. Trailing by 132 runs after the first innings, the Eagles collapsed to 161 for 8 before a late-order collapse saw them needing just 40 more runs with two wickets in hand.

The turning point came when injured opener Sam Fanning, who had been using crutches the day prior, limped to the crease at No. 10 and formed a crucial partnership with captain Aaron Hardie.

Fanning’s 14 not out and Hardie’s unbeaten 80 anchored the chase, with the latter’s 50th run sealing the victory in a match-winning ninth-wicket stand. The win also marked Western Australia’s first Sheffield Shield triumph under new coach Beau Casson, adding to the historic nature of the result.

Queensland’s second innings was dismantled by Jhye Richardson’s five-wicket haul, including a stunning spell of 5 for 19, which reduced them to 68 all out and set WA a target of 201 to win. The match’s final moments saw Fanning’s crab-walking runs between the wickets secure the two-wicket victory, cementing one of the most unforgettable finishes in Australian domestic cricket.

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