Date-stamped : 30 Mar95 - 14:32 SHEFFIELD SHIELD 1994-95 Final: Queensland v South Australia Played at the 'gabba, Brisbane, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 March 1995 Queensland Wins Sheffield Shield At Last After trying for 68 years, Queensland has finally won the Sheffield Shield. Queensland on Tuesday completed an innings and 101-run victory over South Australia at the Gabba Ground to triumph in Australia`s most prestigious domestic cricket competition. The Bulls players were swamped by thousands of spectators who ran onto the ground after Carl Rackemann took the catch which clinched the win. It was dual celebration for fast bowler Rackemann, who was earlier in the day named as a replacement for the injured Craig McDermott on the Australian tour of the West Indies. Rackemann has not played for Australia since his 12th Test in 1991. Queensland bowled South Australia out for 349 on the final day to win the trophy for the first time since it entered the com- petition in 1926-27. After dismissing the visitors for 214 on the opening day, Queensland replied with a Shield final record of 664 runs to shut the visitors out of the game. Opener Trevor Barsby hammered 151, Martin Love 146, Allan Border 98 and Matthew Hayden 74. South Australia tried valiantly to bat out the last day for a face-saving draw, but ultimately succumbed to the pressure. Over the years the Queensland team has featured some of the greatest names in cricket: Australians like Ray Lindwall, Greg Chappell, Don Tallon and Wally Grout, and recent imports includ- ing Ian Botham, Kepler Wessels and Majid Khan. None was able to provide the spark to break the hoodoo. The current Queensland team has no overseas players, but does include former Australian captain Border, 39, who has said he now expects to retire. Scores: South Australia 214 and 349 (Paul Nobes 100). Queens- land 664. Queensland won by an innings and 101 runs. Source :: AP Worldstream Contributed by Ram.Krishnan (rkrishna@garnet.acns.fsu.edu) ====> more Queensland`s Shield of dreams - Greg Baum THE symbolism could scarcely have been more powerful here this week as Queensland overcame the greatest hoodoo in Australi- an sport to win the Sheffield Shield for the first time in their 69 years in the competition. By the end of the match Allan Border had as good as announced his retirement from all cricket, the Gabba lay in ruins and the drought that has crippled much of the state had broken. Nothing would ever be the same again in Queensland. "Queensland: beautiful one day, perfect the next," says the ad- vertisement. It is the sunshine state and yet for 68 years a shadow has fallen across it: it just could not win the Shield. Queensland finished second 14 times, failing in all six fi- nals they have reached since the play-off concept was introduced in 1982. It gave rise to a genre of jokes, the latest and last peddled by the South Australian captain Jamie Siddons on the eve of the final: "Queensland: beautiful one day, all out 75 the next." They changed coaches, captains and even their name: the Maroons are now the Bulls. Queensland set the pace, as usual, but faltered ominously when they were beaten by an innings by South Australia a fort- night ago. Still, any side with Law, Love and A Border in it has a certain, irresistible moral force about it, and Queensland`s subsequent victory over Tasmania guaranteed having the Shield fi- nal played for the first time at the Gabba. Queensland were ready in all except one detail. The stands that gave the Gabba its distinctive character were being demol- ished so that a lavish new grandstand would be completed in time for next summer. A perfect pitch was prepared, but South Australia made reck- less haste on it the first day and were bowled out for 214. Queensland then batted deep into the fourth day to make 664, a Shield final record. Trevor Barsby made 151, the innings of a lifetime for the long-serving opener who has never and will never play for Aus- tralia. When his stint was over, the former Queensland and Aus- tralia wicketkeeper John McLean burst into the dressing room and with tears in his eyes exclaimed: "You haven`t realised what you have done." Border was 98 when he dragged a wide ball into his stumps. As he left, he flourished his bat to all parts of the ground in what was surely a gesture of farewell, though he said later he would think it over on a holiday in Zimbabwe. All sense of proportion has long since been lost; a casual listener who turned on his radio late the previous afternoon would have heard this piece of commentary: "A standing ovation for Allan Border . . . he moves to six." Record Shield final crowds packed the remains of the Gabba. Those who were there will dine out on it for the rest of their lives. Queensland bowled South Australia out again on the last day to win by an innings and 101 runs. Simultaneously it was announced that Carl Rackemann, rising 35, would replace the injured Craig McDermott in the West Indies and Law would captain Young Australia to England. Queensland`s cup was running over in all directions. Rackemann obliged photographers by posing with the Shield, a can of XXXX and a live bull. Last week no Queenslander would have dared to dream of this moment, but last week was a long time ago. Source :: The Guardian Contribuited by Ram.Krishnan (rkrishna@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)