The Bupa Sheffield Shield match at the MCG is set for an entertaining finish with Western Australia needing 133 runs from the final session with six wickets in hand against Victoria.
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The Bupa Sheffield Shield match at the MCG is set for an entertaining finish with Western Australia needing 133 runs from the final session with six wickets in hand against Victoria.
A Liam Davis century handed the Warriors the ascendancy early in the middle session but the loss of three wickets before tea has thrown the match wide open.
The visitors are 4-229 at the break with 33 overs left to be bowled on Monday.
Wes Robinson, who featured in a patient 166-run partnership with Davis, struck an enduring 83 before edging spinner Jon Holland to Bushrangers keeper Matthew Wade.
It was the initial breakthrough Victoria had been searching for and was followed by two more dismissals in the hour before tea.
WA skipper Marcus North was next to go, caught behind for eight to his first-innings conqueror, debutant Bushranger Scott Boland.
Just two balls later, spinner Glenn Maxwell had Davis caught at slip on 108.
It was an impressive knock from the opener and made him the topscoring Shield player this season.
Travis Birt (17) and Adam Voges (11) will resume at the crease with the new ball due.
Showers are forecast for the third session. Although an outright result is expected with day four extended by an hour in lieu of a rain delay on Sunday.
Asked to bat first on Friday, Victoria compiled 301 and took an 83-run first-innings lead on Saturday with the Warriors all out for 218.
WA hit back early on Sunday with the Bushrangers stumbling to 6-145 at lunch.
But half centuries to Test hopeful Wade and Maxwell stretched Victoria's second innings to 278, leaving WA to chase an unlikely 362.
They were 1-22 at stumps after losing opener Marcus Harris, who shouldered arms to Jayde Herrick and was bowled for a golden duck.
All-rounder Mitch Marsh will bat with a runner (if required) after he was sidelined with a groin strain on Sunday.
Twenty-year-old Marsh, who claimed 3-37 from 11 overs in Victoria's second innings, is in doubt for Wednesday's Ryobi Cup match against the Bushrangers.
The winner of this match will go to outright second on the Shield table behind leaders Queensland.
