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Handscomb to lead Vics in Shield clash

Up-and-coming young batsman Peter Handscomb will captain Victoria in their Sheffield Shield match against Queensland

Despite being within touching distance of the Sheffield Shield final, Victoria still have a couple of challenges to overcome in order to lock in hosting rights.

Regular captain Matthew Wade will remain in Melbourne for the birth of his first child while the top-of-the-table Bushrangers, led for the first time by young batsman Peter Handscomb, travel to the Gabba to take on second-placed Queensland on Saturday.

The 24-year-old will take the reins following Victoria’s comprehensive innings loss to bottom side Tasmania in Hobart and they will be looking for an improved performance in Brisbane in order to lock in top spot and the right to host the final.

They will have to do so without fast bowlers James Pattinson and Peter Siddle, who have both been ruled out for the rest of season through injury.

Quick Single: Pattinson ruled out for Shield season

Handscomb will become the fourth player to captain the side this year, with Wade, Siddle and Aaron Finch having all done the job throughout 2015-16.

With the Bushrangers having used 20 players this season, including four debutants, the new skipper admitted the constant change of personnel has been challenging but insisted it’s something they expected at the outset of the summer.

“It can be quite disrupting,” Handscomb said on Wedneday.

“But we said at the start of the season: ‘If we’re looking to win the Shield, it’s not based around 11 guys, it’s based around your entire squad’.

“We’ve had to use the squad this year. We’ve had a couple of debutants and a few captains.

“It’s just awesome that our squad has put this performance together (despite the disruption).”

WATCH: Handscomb scores ton against Redbacks

Although Handscomb has minimal captaincy experience besides a tour match against the England Lions in 2013, he’ll have no shortage of leadership nous at his disposal.

Former Bushrangers skipper Cameron White is at second slip, and Rob Quiney, who has filled in as captain in the past, will be in gully, meaning Handscomb at third slip won’t have to wander far to tap in to their tactical knowledge.

The Victorians were comprehensively accounted for by Tasmania in their last match but despite David Saker publicly labelling the defeat a “reality check” for the Bushrangers, Handscomb said the Victoria coach taken a calm approach in the dressing room post-game.

“It wasn’t a spray, that’s for sure,” he said. “We just talked very relaxed about it over a beer and tried not to put too much stress on it.

“It’s a very strong competition and one where if the bottom side puts in a complete game they can beat the top side.

“Tassie had three guys that have represented Australia playing for them, so it’s still such a strong competition.”

Quick Single: Road to the Sheffield Shield final

Handscomb impressed with his batting against spin bowling on Australia A’s tour of India last year and was picked up in the recent Indian Premier League by the Rising Pune Supergiants for $63,000, where he is set to link up with his Melbourne Stars coach Stephen Fleming.

And with a Test tour of Sri Lanka coming up later this year, Handscomb, who’s scored two centuries this summer for the Vics, has a strong incentive to finish off the season in style.

“I’ve been feeling good all year but as a batter I don’t think you can ever be satisfied with the amount of runs you’ve scored,” he said.

“I’m still a bit disappointed in my last game (where he made 7 and 11) and a couple of hits in which I’ve made runs, but they could have been bigger (scores).

“I’ll look to finish the season with a couple of big scores and hopefully that gets us a win and gets us into a Shield final.”