O'Keefe claims eight as spin dominates

Spin bowling dominated the first day of JLT Sheffield Shield cricket at Melbourne's Junction Oval for nearly a decade, with defending champions Victoria left reeling by an inspired spell by Stephen O'Keefe.

Victoria were bowled out for 199 as O'Keefe claimed a career-best first-class haul of 8-77 in a marathon 32.4 overs broken only by the lunch and tea breaks.

However, by day's end, the Victorians had fought back to reduce NSW to 4-65, clinging to a precious 134-run advantage on day one of a potentially season-defining match. 

The Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers were bouyed by a sparkling century from opener Marcus Harris, and when he reached triple-figures he had an incredible 102 of the home side's then total of 5-149.

NSW found batting just as difficult as the home side, struggling their way to stumps with the ploy to use Sean Abbott as nightwatchman backfiring as he fell just before stumps.

In contrast to NSW, there were four different wicket-takers for Victoria, perhaps most notably allrounder Glenn Maxwell who dismissed Ed Cowan (5).

The first two sessions were a reversal of form for the two sides, with NSW winless since the mid-season resumption, while Victoria had jumped from last to second over those three rounds.

O'Keefe, who bowled for nearly the entirety of the first two sessions, collected wickets at regular intervals to put his name back in lights.

Harris managed to defy O'Keefe before he was the sixth wicket to fall, caught behind off medium-pacer Harry Conway (1-28).

"The wicket felt pretty good with the seamers in the first hour but, once Steve O'Keefe came on, there was a bit of turn and a bit of bounce," said Harris.

"He is obviously a class bowler and he got the most out of it.

"With his angle, it is probably a bit harder to play as a right-hander so, being a left-hander, I could maybe get some easy singles, but he bowled really well."

O'Keefe's performance overshadowed a defiant boundary-laden knock from Harris who made 109 from 161 balls, including 14 fours and two sixes.

Harris's knock saved the Vics from complete embarrassment on a day in which the home side returned to the newly-redeveloped St Kilda venue for the first time in nine years.

Defeat against NSW would endanger Victoria's Shield defence with only round remaining.

Victoria will lean heavily on legspinner Fawad Ahmed, supported by allrounder Maxwell's offspin.

"We would have signed up for four wickets (before taking the field) every time, so it is pretty even at the moment," Harris said.

Victoria's big-name top-order failed to fire with the home side reduced to 4-109 at lunch, with Glenn Maxwell making 4 and captain Aaron Finch a first-ball duck.

Cameron White (23) and Seb Gotch (28) were the only Victorian batsman other than Harris to reach double figures.

Victoria: Marcus Harris, Travis Dean, Glenn Maxwell, Will Pucovski, Aaron Finch (c), Cameron White, Seb Gotch (wk), Chris Tremain, Peter Siddle, Scott Boland, Fawad Ahmed

NSW: Nick Larkin, Daniel Hughes, Ed Cowan, Kurtis Patterson, Moises Henriques, Param Uppal, Steve O'Keefe, Peter Nevill (c/wk), Trent Copeland, Sean Abbott, Harry Conway