Cricket has a strange way of occupying the mental crease that exists somewhere between or within the idle thoughts of its most devoted adherents. Their minds are roused and pulses quickened by the very memory of on-field drama — by a wholehearted "howzat" or an inswinging yorker or a robust defensive prod in the dying stages of a domestic final. One such moment occurred on an afternoon 29 years ago, when South Australian tailender Peter McIntyre patted a ball in the direction of extra cover. It was a nondescript shot, but it will live forever because of the pandemonium it produced. As fans launched a pitch invasion, McIntyre jumped for joy. South Australia had won the Sheffield Shield for the first time in 14 seasons. The fact that the state's current Shield-less streak is more than twice that long is itself an indication of the strength of feeling, hope and expectation that will accompany SA's players when they stride onto Karen Rolton Oval this morning. 'The signs cannot be mistaken' This year's final against Queensland represents a homecoming of sorts. It was in Adelaide that the Sheffield Shield, as it were, made its debut. Much of the talk heading into today's opening session has been about attendance — which was also foremost among the considerations of Australian cricket administrators when, in the early 1890s, they turned their minds to revitalising a sport they feared was flagging. The solution was a new competition to be contested by the colonies, in which the annual winner would be awarded a shield named in honour of English cricket lover the Earl of Sheffield, who stumped up the necessary £150 for its purchase. "There is a marked revival of the public interest in cricket," the Adelaide Observer newspaper crowed on the eve of the first match. On December 16, 1892, NSW took to the field against SA at Adelaide Oval, and the Sheffield Shield had begun. Game etched in the memory To the modern athlete, the past is infinitely more of a curse than it is a blessing, irrespective of whether the particular past in question is characterised by failure or success. The player who finds themselves at a club with a golden history will always be shadowed by the expectation that they stand on the shoulders of giants and follow in the footsteps of greatness. But the player whose side hasn't known glory for generations will forever be fending off the question of when it all might be put right. It was inevitable, and is only natural, that the Shield final of 1996 should have formed something of a psychological backdrop to today's proceedings. The match entrenched itself in the state's sporting folklore, largely because it concluded not with a triumphant assault but a retreat that resulted in glory. South Australia was all but defeated — but that "but" made all the difference. On the backfoot almost from the get-go, thanks to a run-a-ball 189 from WA's Adam Gilchrist, SA was set 343 to win but stumbled to 9 for 202. Almost a quarter of a century after that moment, radio host and former state cricketer James Brayshaw — whose flinty performance in the final included a brace of half centuries for SA — reflected on the magnitude of the challenge that had confronted the last men in, telling his Triple M listeners: As their partnership progressed, the improbability of survival prompted TV commentator Kerry O'Keefe to remark that McIntyre and George were the "most unlikely pair" that South Australia could have summoned to "bat through 34 minutes". But word got round that something astonishing was happening, and the crowd and the cheering seemed to swell with each defensive shot. Every block was like the blow of an ice pick being sunk into the side of a mountain, as the indomitable duo made a final push towards the summit. When WA speedster Brendon Julian switched from around to over the wicket, there were three balls to go. The last of them was met by the middle of McIntyre's bat. As young supporters (who, in anticipation of exultation, had edged beyond the pickets and onto the ground) suddenly stormed the usually tranquil turf, McIntyre and George sprinted for the stands to celebrate with teammates overcome by euphoria. A WA side littered with all-time greats and national team regulars — Gilchrist, Langer, Hussey, Martyn, Moody, Julian and Hogg — could only watch on in disbelief. A short time later, in the aureate light of a mid-autumn afternoon, SA captain Jamie Siddons lifted the Shield skywards. Encouragement from the elements The gods of cricket have not always seen eye to eye with the gods of the weather, but the forecast for the next five days is for sunny skies and temperatures in the low 30s — almost ideal conditions for a final. The deep green outfield of Karen Rolton Oval is in glaring contrast to swathes of parched Adelaide parkland, which have been broiled and baked by a summer that has left dams dry and hillsides bare. But South Australia's cricketers should still seek encouragement from the elements, especially in light of recent events. Last week, parts of the state recorded their first half-decent drenchings for months when a trough pushed across from the west. If ever there was an omen, this was it. After a 29-year Shield drought, it's time for the heavens to open once again, even if there's barely a cloud in the sky.