Fans celebrate South Australia's historic Sheffield Shield win

When former Australian bowler Ryan Harris stepped into the coach's shoes for South Australia's men's cricket team, he told the boys he was here to win trophies.

A promise often repeated but sparsely realised — South Australia's last One Day Cup success was in 2012.

But seven months since taking the helm, Harris's SA squad now holds the one-day trophy and Sheffield Shield in the same season for the first time.

Before Saturday, South Australia had not won the Sheffield Shield since the 1995/96 season. (ABC News: Che Chorley)

Coach Harris said he certainly did not expect that achievement in his first year but knew there was talent in the SA squad.

"I knew they weren't far off from success," he said.

"I put it down to watching the AFL pretty closely — every time they sack a coach, a new one comes in, the team wins."

The first-year coach told ABC Radio Adelaide the season success was not down to any individual.

"We've used 23 of 26 players on our contract list … a whole team effort," Harris said.

"They are hard to win these, as we know 29 years is a bit too long but you need a good squad, you need good people to stand up to do it.

Fans welcome South Australia's Sheffield Shield winners at a ceremony in Rundle Mall. (ABC News: Che Chorley)

"I know the boys were so pumped by it and just looking around realising what it meant to the state was unbelievable."

Breaking a 29-year Shield drought, Jason Sangha and Alex Carey made centuries with the side scoring a record-breaking 6-270 against Queensland on day four of the decider.

South Australian Cricket Association president Will Rayner agreed.

"Everyone stood up at various times during the season, it hasn't been dominated by one or two individuals," Rayner said.

Ben Manenti swarmed by fans storming the pitch after the win. (Getty Images: Sarah Reed)

"Obviously Jason [Sangha] on the weekend with that extraordinary knock, and Alex Carey but you had Jake Lehmann get a ton in the first innings and Brendan Doggett got 11 for 140 the best ever bowling return in a Shield final.

"Probably a great measure of the strength of the side is those people that were really unfortunate to miss out on a spot on the 11th — Lloyd Pope, Henry Thornton and Harry Nielsen on the sidelines and they all played really important roles in the one-day titles."

Pitch invasion after win

In scenes similar to the 1995/96 win at Adelaide Oval, spectators stormed the pitch at Karen Rolton Oval in a spectacle Rayner described had "gone viral all over the world".

"It's put domestic cricket back on the map," he said.

On Monday, the squad gathered in Rundle Mall to the deafening cheers of fans.

Conor McInerney, one of two South Australian-born players on the team, said Saturday's win was "special" for his teammates.

"We didn't really get to see Jase hit the winning run [on the sides], everyone jumped up and we just jumped into each other's arms, that was really special," he said.

He said celebrations continued until Sunday on his birthday.

"I didn't really get to see any of my family or anything like that," he spoke with a hoarse voice on ABC Radio Adelaide.

Captain Nathan McSweeney said the win was a mix of joy and relief.

Fans celebrate the SA Shield win in a post-match ceremony. (Getty Images: Sarah Reed)

"Two trophies is the goal and it'd be nice to do that every year," he said.

"I really think if we can keep this core group together we can do this for a long period of time and [I've been] very lucky to be a part of it."

McSweeney said part of the glory belonged to Travis Head, who was SA captain for seven years.

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