Victoria 339 for 7 (Blackford 149*, Sutherland 100, Straker 4-50) beat Queensland 335 for 7 (Burdon 73, McLachlan 66*) by three wickets
The left-hander’s unbeaten 149 off 113 deliveries was one of the greatest One-Day Cup knocks ever played in what was a thriller at Allan Border Field on Saturday.
Blackford, 22, played an inspirational knock, after a blood clot in his right arm in July 2023 and three subsequent surgeries, which included a rib removal, threatened to cruel his career. He was in danger of losing an arm, but has fought his way back from the brink.
Blackford played all the shots and brought up his half-century with a pulled six off Mitch Swepson, before racing to his century off 91 balls. After Sutherland’s dismissal he played an array of shots to secure victory with one ball to spare.
“Pretty surreal. It definitely hasn’t sunk in,” Blackford said after his heroics. “We were in a fair bit of trouble and I was trying to get settled. Obviously being my first game I was very nervous. It was great to get the win. I don’t really believe it just yet.”
Blackford’s fightback is the stuff of legend. “A year without cricket, a pretty long year to be honest,” he said. “I was all good but I was on medication for the blood clot, which meant I couldn’t play cricket because I couldn’t get hit by the ball.
“I am grateful that I am back out there now. That is something that pushes me forward. Things could have been different.”
McLachlan, in just his second List A game, struck seven sixes in his 66 not out off just 29 deliveries and former Australian under-19 star paceman Straker ripped through the Victoria top order.
McLachlan, 27, replaced injured first-choice wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson, who was ruled out with a hamstring injury. His innings, in just his second match, was simply sensational.
Lachlan Hearne played his part in lifting the run rate after Hugo Burdon top-scored, before McLachlan and Max Bryant hit 11 sixes between them.