How a 'long season' shaped Victoria's latest young gun

Liam Blackford knows a thing or two about taking chances.

Three years ago, there were moments when he thought there was a chance he wouldn't play cricket again as he battled a rare condition in his neck and shoulder that led to blood clotting and swelling in his right arm.

Then, after a lean comeback season from what had been diagnosed as thoracic outlet syndrome – which resulted in a rib and part of his pectoral muscle being surgically removed to improve blood flow – Blackford peeled off 1,207 second XI and first-grade runs last summer to earn a new Victorian contract and keep his dream of being a professional cricketer on track.

Now, after a scintillating start to his state career, which included an incredible match-winning 149 not out on one-day debut against Queensland along with two half-centuries in his eight innings, the wicketkeeper-batter is set to hold his spot in Victoria's Sheffield Shield side despite the return of Sam Harper from Test squad duties.

Having top-scored for the Vics in a heartbreaking four-run loss to Tasmania last week, the left-hander has been named alongside Harper - who will wear the gloves - to take on Queensland in round three at the Gabba. 

And with Matt Short dropping out of the 12-player squad due to a hip procedure that's expected to sideline him for a month, Blackford will play as a specialist batter in the middle order.

Victoria squad v Queensland: Will Sutherland (c), Austin Anlezark, Liam Blackford, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Matt Hennig, Campbell Kellaway, Todd Murphy, Fergus O'Neill, Oliver Peake, Mitch Perry

"I do love my fielding too," Blackford said earlier this season of his ambitions to lock down a position in Victoria's top six.

"I feel like my batting is probably the best it's ever been at the moment, so that's obviously something I'll push towards."

It wasn't long ago that Harper's spot as first-choice 'keeper was under question, when he was dropped for the final round of the Shield season in March 2025.

But Blackford, in his first season back after three separate surgeries in a six-month period, was still finding his feet, and didn't pass 50 in five second XI matches and 15 appearances for Geelong in Premier Cricket during the 2024-25 campaign.

"This is my fourth year on contract. I had my first one pretty much taken away with injury, and then coming back from that, the following year was a very slim year, I averaged (10) in grade cricket," Blackford recounted.

"So coming into my last year on that (initial) contract, you're feeling all the emotions possible.

"I was just trying to work as hard as possible, and then I was lucky enough to have a pretty good season last summer (2025-26) in second XI. But obviously then Sammy (Harper) had an unreal year and credit to him. Hopefully, he's knocking the door down (for higher honours), so I'll just take the opportunity whenever it comes."

It's an outlook that was shaped by a 15-month absence from the game he loves, during which he spent periods wondering if another chance would come.

Rewind to July 2023 and the initial prognosis from doctors had Blackford fearing the worst when he was admitted to hospital after noticing swelling and discolouration in his right arm.

"Scans picked up this mass near my collarbone and they were starting to think it could have possibly been a tumour," he told cricket.com.au following his return to action more than a year later.

"Once I had my first surgery (in September 2023), they realised it wasn't a tumour but an injury called thoracic outlet syndrome, which in my instance happens when my arm is elevated above my head. It lacks blood flow and that was causing all the swelling and a blood clot."

Blackford's condition, where the vein near his neck was being compressed, affects just five per cent of people diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome. Former WA and Perth Scorchers quick Piepa Cleary, who also had her top right rib removed in early 2023, is another who makes up that five per cent.

The more common type, seen in more than 90 per cent of cases, occurs when the nerves leading from the neck to the arm are compressed.

"My vein was getting compressed by the rib and the collarbone as that section between (the neck and shoulder) is, I suppose, smaller than maybe the regular person," Blackford said. "The muscle mass surrounding it then made it pretty tight and unfriendly for the vein.

"I was on blood thinners for an extended period of time, which meant I couldn't play cricket because you can't get hit on blood thinners.

"I could exercise and I felt fine, which was probably the worst thing to an extent; feeling like I'm able to play but because I was on medication, I couldn't.

"Then, to later figure out that I still wasn't right and I had to get another surgery, it was a long season watching everyone else play.

"There was a point where I was questioning whether I'd be back out there; I was just thinking, 'Jeez, like what now?' I just dreamed of being a cricketer."

Blackford returned to training two months after his last surgery that removed his rib in March 2024.

It's been a slow build since to get to the top level, but the 22-year-old is now repaying the faith Victoria showed in one of their lesser-known teenage prodigies who blazed a 124-ball century against England Under-19s in a Youth Test just before he was awarded a rookie contract in 2023 aged 19.

"He's an overnight sensation that's been years in the making," Victoria coach Chris Rogers said after his debut century in their One-Day Cup season opener.

"He played four years of under-19 cricket, which goes to show the identification of his talent from a very young age.

"These things take time and he had a huge setback along the way and missed a whole year of cricket, and when you're doing that in your formative years, that's quite significant.

"To play that innings with that composure (against Queensland), there's one thing about having talent but being able to play on the big stage and perform, for any sportsperson in any sport, I think that says a lot about the character."

Indeed, that character has been shaped by challenges far greater than a steep run chase.

"(I was) so supported even through the year I didn't play. Having that belief to get through all the issues with my shoulder and even having some time after that where they didn't put much pressure on me at all, as a player that feels so good to have coming back from injury having not played for a year-and-a-bit," Blackford added.

"There could have been so many other situations where I wouldn't have been able to play, so to get back out on the park and do what I love, having that gratitude towards the game and being lucky to be able to play again is sort of how I've (been) looking at it.

"I feel like that's helped me just play … with a bit of a sense of freedom, knowing how good it's been to be back out there."

2026-27 Sheffield Shield standings

Round 1

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	Drawn D	No results N/R	Deductions Ded.	Batting Bonus Bat	Bowling Bonus Bowl	Total points PTS
1 Western Australia Men WA	3	2	0	0	1	0	0	2.53	2.5	18.03
2 South Australia Men SA	3	1	2	0	0	0	0	1.42	2.4	9.82
3 Tasmanian Tigers Men TAS	2	1	0	0	1	0	0	0.86	1.9	9.76
4 NSW Men NSW	2	0	0	0	2	0	0	4.75	1.9	8.65
5 Queensland Bulls QLD	2	1	1	0	0	0	-1	1.45	2	8.45
6 Victoria Men VIC	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0.51	1.6	2.11

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

D: Drawn

N/R: No results

Ded.: Deductions

Bat: Batting Bonus

Bowl: Bowling Bonus

PTS: Total points