'Very tough call' as Vics bank on Elliott for Shield final

Sam Elliott has pipped Mitch Perry for a spot in Victoria's team for the Sheffield Shield final in what coach Chris Rogers described as one of the hardest conversations of his tenure.

The pace pair had been locked in a selection battle for the last spot in the hosts' XI with Test star Scott Boland available for the decider against South Australia and seamer Fergus O'Neill returning after being rested for their previous match.

Captain Will Sutherland confirmed Elliott had been given the nod at a press conference at St Kilda pier on match eve.

Victoria XI: Campbell Kellaway, Sam Harper (wk), Dylan Brasher, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Oliver Peake, Fergus O'Neill, Will Sutherland (c), Sam Elliott, Todd Murphy, Scott Boland

Elliott is Victoria's leading Sheffield Shield wicket-taker this season with 33 from seven appearances, but Perry was only one behind him in eight matches and finished second in the competition's player of the season award, one vote behind SA allrounder Liam Scott.

Elliott hasn't missed a game since coming into the side in round four where he took seven wickets against a Test-calibre NSW outfit, including the prized scalp of Steve Smith among his 5-26 in the first innings.

It was one of three five-wicket hauls the 26-year-old right-armer has taken this season, both against Western Australia in round six and eight.

Only Boland (14.26) has a better bowling average of players to have bowled more than 25 overs this Shield season than Elliott's 17.18.

"It was a very tough call, both have had amazing seasons," Sutherland said on Wednesday morning.

"Blake Macdonald is the other one that's missing out as well, who has also had a great year and he's very stiff as well.

"It's one of the harder calls I've had to make in my time as captain but also a sign of a very strong squad and a lot of depth there. We could have gone either way."

The selection is perhaps vindication for consistent strong performances by Elliott, who was left out of Victoria's One-Day Cup final loss to SA last season despite being the state's equal top wicket-taker leading into the match.

"It was one of the hardest conversations, both players thoroughly deserving ... but you can't fit 12 into 11," Rogers. "(Perry) took it well and hopefully it inspires him to go onto bigger and better things.

"I spoke to a lot of people and nobody could really give me a compelling case either way. Analysts could provide reasons both ways.

"It was a real 50-50 and, in the end, we probably rewarded the guy who just had the better season.

"(Sam's) been one of the real improvers for us this season. You're expecting growth within your group, particularly when when you've got a bit of a younger age profile.

"He's really stepped up this year, and he's been one of the reasons we're in the position we are."

SA captain Nathan McSweeney said the visitors were waiting to have a look at the Junction Oval surface before finalising their XI on the morning of the final.

Leg-spinner Lloyd Pope is an outside chance to earn a recall for the final after spin played a bigger role than both teams expected in their round 10 draw at the save venue.

"They've got some great bowlers so I would have thought there'd be a little bit more (grass) on it but we'll see what happens, and be ready," McSweeney said.

"The bigger the occasion, the more opportunity there is to make a score and put your name up there," the former Test opener added. "But for me it's about doing that for South Australia ... we had some great memories last year and hopefully can repeat that."

McSweeney's team are seeking to become the first in South Australian history to win back-to-back Sheffield Shield titles when the final gets underway at 10:30am Thursday in Melbourne.

Sheffield Shield final 2025-26

March 26-30: Victoria v South Australia, Junction Oval, Melbourne

The Sheffield Shield final will be broadcast live on cricket.com.au, the CA Live app, Foxtel and Kayo Sports