Victoria's Sheffield Shield final hopes have enjoyed another boost on day two of their clash with Western Australia in Perth
Match Report:
ScorecardBoland's late blows edge Vics towards Shield final berth
Victoria are edging closer to a spot in the Marsh Sheffield Shield final after another dominant day against Western Australia at the WACA in Perth.
Western Australia are 88 runs in arrears at the midway point of the match, having reached 3-88 in their second innings in response to Victoria's 298 after the hosts made a paltry 122 in their first innings.
Hilton Cartwright (34no) remains at the crease for a WA side who went into the match having already locked up hosting rights for next week's season decider.
Scott Boland (2-31) followed up his four-wicket haul on day one by striking in his second over as heavy-scoring opener Sam Whiteman fell for a duck.
Mitch Perry dismissed youngster Teague Wyllie for 16 while Boland picked up the crucial wicket of Cameron Bancroft (31) in the dying minutes of play.
Scott Boland gets a huge wicket for Victoria of Cameron Bancroft six minutes to go before stumps! #SheffieldShield pic.twitter.com/colmV0d1QC
%E2%80%94 cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 15, 2023
Earlier, a rapid-fire 82 from the in-form Matt Short not only boosted the Vics, but ensured they ended the day 1.02 points ahead of third-placed side Queensland.
Should the Bulls not reach 303 in the first 100 overs of their first innings in Hobart tomorrow – where they need another 123 runs in 50 overs with four wickets remaining – a win over WA would book Victoria's place in the season decider.
Short seemed on track for a third ton in as many Shield innings, only to a mishit drive to mid-off to end his 95-ball stay at the crease.
Short and Campbell Kellaway (64) shared a 112-run stand for the fourth wicket, easily the largest of the match to date.
It was looking like Victoria would amass a much larger lead but after reaching 4-233, their last six wickets yielded just 65 runs.
Former Test opener Marcus Harris helped the Vics make a bright start with 84 after the visitors resumed day two at 2-71.
With Joel Paris and Matt Kelly both rested for WA, Cameron Gannon took his chance by picking up 4-93 after mopping up the lower order.
But it was part-time medium-pacer Cartwright who started the Vics' decline with the unlikely return of 3-14, having bowled just five previous overs in the season.