In an innings which comprised 16 fours and six maximums, Blackford’s sublime 149 was the highest-ever score by a batter on debut in the One-Day Cup. The record was previously held by Majid Khan, who scored 115 on debut for Queensland against South Australia in 1973/74. 

Blackford walked out to bat at seven, with the score reading 84-5 in the 17th over of the chase. He stitched a 152-run stand with skipper Will Sutherland, who also scored a 106-ball ton. Sutherland was dismissed with Victoria requiring 100 runs off 59 deliveries. Blackford then found an able partner in Sam Elliott, adding 70 off 45 balls for the seventh wicket before being dismissed in the 48th over. 

With Victoria needing 28 off the last two overs with three wickets in hand, Blackford took two sixes and a four off Oli Patterson in the 49th over, leaving 12 to get off the last six. Harry Hoekstra picked up a dangerous single on the first ball of the 50th over, bowled by Marnus Labuschagne, and the debutant slammed two consecutive boundaries. After a brace off the fourth, Blackford completed the chase with a boundary through the cover point region to draw first points for Victoria.

Earlier, Queensland got to 335-7 after being put in to bat. Jack Clayton (36) added 71 for the second wicket with skipper Labuschagne (42). Labuschagne was dismissed by a stellar catch from Matthew Short off his own bowling, leaving Queensland 101-3 off 26.1 overs. They eventually got to a competitive score on the back of Hugo Burdon's 73, followed by Dylan McLachlan's quickfire 29-ball 66. 

Victoria were reduced to 14-4 with Short (8), Harry Dixon (2), Thomas Rogers (1) and Dylan Brasher (0) back inside four overs, Tom Straker claiming three out of the four dismissals. Macdonald and Sutherland added 70 for the fifth wicket before the former fell in the 17th over. 

Also read: Days after points deduction, county chase 334 to keep Championship survival hopes alive

Highest scores on debut in One-Day Cup

Player

Score

Team

Opposition

Season

Liam Blackford

149*

Victoria

Queensland

2026/27

Majid Khan

115

Queensland

South Australia

1973/74

Corey Richards

109

New South Wales

Western Australia

1996/97

Ryan Gibson

106

New South Wales

Queensland

2016/17

Andrew Courtice

105

Queensland

Victoria

1982/83

Gary Goodman

100

Tasmania

Queensland

1978/79

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