Finals fever has gripped most sporting codes – from cricket to Esports – as players gear up or wind down after a thrilling finals campaign.

Cricket

Australian women’s cricket captain Meg Lanning bagged her 14^th ODI century from just 96 balls and saw her side trample New Zealand and seize the Rose Bowl series Monday evening. The win sees them extend their consecutive win record to 20 victories – one away from equalling the world record set by Ricky Ponting’s 2003 Australian men’s team. 

Football (the roundball kind)

WNPL

Metro United WFC will be the team to meet Adelaide City in this Friday’s WNPL Grand Final at VALO football centre after beating Salisbury Inter 3-2, thanks to an extra time goal in the 108^th minute by Metro United’s Donna Cockayne.

Metro came back from a goal down twice, trailing 1-0 and then 2-1. The result was a massive turnaround for Metro United WFC after losing 6-2 to Salisbury Inter earlier in the season. Kick off for the WNPL Grand Final is 8:15pm.

NPL

Adelaide Olympic talisman Nick Harpas bagged two goals, with one coming in the 92^nd minute, to see his side beat Adelaide City 2-1. The win sees Olympic sit just one point outside of a finals spot with four games left in the regular season.

Nick Harpas. Photo supplied

Adelaide Comets still have a grasp of top spot even though they fell 3-1 to second-placed Croydon Kings. Campbelltown had an opportunity to rip the number one spot from Comets’ grasp with a win, but couldn’t pull through and drew with Adelaide United Youth 0-0.

The result sees Comets maintain a one-point gap over second-placed Croydon and third-placed Campbelltown as well as two points clear of fourth-placed MetroStars.

State League 1

Newly-promoted Adelaide Hills sit seventh and one point outside of finals after a shock win against the then top of the table team, Sturt Lions, winning 2-1.

South Adelaide Panthers have nicked top spot with four games to go, beating West Adelaide 2-1. Finishing top spot in State League 1 will see automatic promotion into the NPL.

SANFL

Central District have sacked coach Jeff Andrews one year into his three year contract with the club. This comes after his side finished seventh and failed to make the SANFL finals.

The North Adelaide Roosters booked themselves a ticket to the SANFL Grand Final after beating Woodville-West Torrens Eagles 77-62. The result came from a strong performance by Rooster William Combe, who recorded three goals and bagged 20 disposals.

Malcolm Karpany kicked four goals and helped his side South Adelaide grab its first finals win in six years, beating Glenelg, 96-71. The win secures the Panthers a spot in this years SANFL Preliminary Final, set to be played Sunday, October 11, against minor premiers, the Eagles.

Adelaide Footy League

Goodwood Saints Football Club are Division 1 premiers after beating Rostrevor at Norwood oval 66-50. After a slow first quarter start which saw Goodwood down 7-20, they were able to turn it around and lead the game at the end of each subsequent quarter.

Netball

Playing in front of a packed house — following COVID 19 guidelines — League Grand Final MVP, Lucy Austin, helped the Matrics Netball Club beat the Contax, 61-55, to secure a back-to-back Grand Final win.

The celebrations didn’t stop there for the Matrics,  with two of their players, Georgia Dent and Sophie Croft, securing a spot in the Netball SA Premier League team of the year and Casey Bernhardt grabbing rookie of the year.

Swimming

Madi Wilson set a state record in the women’s short course 100 metres freestyle at the SA Short Course Championships at the SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre. She smashed the previous record of 52.29 by clocking 52.13.

Mark Ducaj, 17, won the 800m on Saturday and followed it up winning the 1500m race on Sunday.

Esports

Oceanic Esports Organisation, Legacy Esports, have had their fairytale journey in the League of Legends World Championships ruined as they fell to LGD, 3-0, in the Play-In Knockouts. Legacy Esports can hold their heads high, becoming the first Oceanic Esports team to beat a major region team in the World Championship earlier in the competition.