Wade, Maxwell falter, Vics take upper hand

Matthew Wade and Glenn Maxwell have slipped up in their final Magellan Ashes audition as wickets tumbled on day one of the Sheffield Shield clash between Victoria and Tasmania.

Incumbent Test wicketkeeper Wade was dismissed for five off 42 balls as Tasmania were bowled out for 172 at the MCG.

Events took an unexpected turn in Monday's final session with Tasmanian right-arm quick Gabe Bell ripping through Victoria's top order to leave them reeling at 4-25 off six overs.

Marcus Harris (61) and Daniel Christian (28) then steadied the ship with an unbeaten 78-run stand as Victoria went to stumps at 4-103.

Playing in just his fourth first-class game, 22-year-old Bell had Maxwell (four) caught behind attempting to drive a delivery which swung away from the right-hander.

Test batsman Peter Handscomb, caught at second slip, and Aaron Finch, trapped lbw, both made ducks as Bell (4-22) claimed wickets from each of his first three overs.

Tasmania skipper George Bailey earlier made a gallant 106 but was one of only three Tigers batsmen to reach double figures.

Wade fell in the third over after lunch on Monday attempting to play a pull shot to a Peter Siddle delivery which pitched on middle-and-off and rocketed into his stumps.

His dismissal was the latest in a series of poor batting performances which do not bode well for his Ashes prospects.

Test selectors may be unwilling to risk playing a batsman who has averaged just 20 since his Test recall last summer.

The Ashes squad will be named on Friday with NSW's Peter Nevill tipped by some to get the nod ahead of Wade.

Maxwell is locked in a race for the No.6 Test spot with Western Australia's Hilton Cartwright, who made 35 at the WACA on Monday.

The Victorian was the better-performed of the two in the previous round, scoring 60 and 64 compared to Cartwright's pair of ducks.

Tasmania skipper Bailey had earlier won the toss and opted to bat, with the Tigers making three changes to their side that lost to Queensland last week.

Paine and Faulkner were both recalled while fast bowler Riley Meredith is making his Sheffield Shield debut after snaring eight wickets in the Toyota Futures League last week. Tasmania dropped Jake Doran and Beau Webster while Jackson Bird has been called up to Australia's Magellan Ashes training camp for fast bowlers.

The Bushrangers made one change with wicketkeeper Sam Harper dropped to 12th man duties and Seb Gotch installed as gloveman. 

Victoria: Peter Handscomb (c), Fawad Ahmed, Scott Boland, Dan Christian, Travis Dean, Aaron Finch, Seb Gotch (wk), Marcus Harris, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Siddle, Chris Tremain. Sam Harper 12th.

Tasmania: George Bailey (c), Gabe Bell, Alex Doolan, Jake Doran, James Faulkner, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Tim Paine, Sam Rainbird, Tom Rogers, Jordan Silk, Matthew Wade, Beau Webster (two to be omitted)