Needing a win to reach the Sheffield Shield final, Victoria enjoyed a dream day one in Western Australia as Scott Boland returned to the side with four wickets
Match Report:
ScorecardBoland straight into Shield groove after India return
Scott Boland's early return from India could barely have worked better for Victoria in their must-win final-round Marsh Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia in Perth.
Fast bowler Boland, who only arrived from the Test tour of India on Monday, picked up four wickets as the usually free-scoring WA batters were skittled for just 122 off 61 overs
In reply, Victoria advanced to 2-71 at stumps. And with Queensland only taking five wickets in their clash with Tasmania, the Vics had jumped the Bulls into second spot on the Sheffield Shield table by the close of play.
Victoria's one bonus point they collected by bowling WA out was enough to bridge the 0.36 gap to Queensland in second place after they only picked up 0.5 points on day one, putting the Vics in the box seat to reach the final should they win in Perth.
Victoria need to better Queensland's result in Tasmania or, in the event of achieving the same result, must overhaul their rivals on bonus points.
Opener Marcus Harris is unbeaten on 48 with Campbell Kellaway also at the crease on 3no.
Boland led the way for a hungry-looking Victoria attack, returning 4-29 from 15 typically miserly overs.
Interim captain Will Sutherland started the rot with wickets at the top of the order, ending with 3-33.
Quality spin bowling
%E2%80%94 Victorian Cricket Team (@VicStateCricket) March 14, 2023
Jon Holland gets Ashton Turner after a good battle.
WA 6-106 | 📺: https://t.co/it6BeX8kit#SheffieldShield pic.twitter.com/bmLqiNR6gv
Just three WA batters – Cameron Bancroft (24), Hilton Cartwright (27) and Ashton Turner (27) – passed 10.
Aaron Hardie falling to one of the catches of the season – Mitch Perry diving full length to haul in a shot off the pads at mid-wicket – pretty much summed up the teams' fortunes on day one.
Spinner Jon Holland (3-15) will start the second innings on a hat-trick after claiming the last two wickets, with the hosts losing 5-16 to end the innings.
While Victoria were bolstered by Boland's return, WA having already secured top spot and hosting rights for the final, were without rested strike bowlers Joel Paris and Matt Kelly, while Mitch Marsh and Josh Inglis have left for Australia ODI duties in India.