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Victorian captain Cameron White insists his side will play to beat Queensland in the Sheffield Shield final despite needing only to call on their mammoth batting talent to claim the title.
The Vics offered a sign of what their intentions could be at the Junction Oval from Friday during their drawn match at the MCG, when they batted 15 hours in posting the seventh-highest score in competition history.
Four Bushrangers – Brad Hodge (261), White (124), Chris Rogers (123) and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade (100 not out) – made centuries over three days in a whopping total of 8(dec)-806 before.
A repeat at the Junction will secure Victoria’s first Shield title in five years and avenge some of the disappointment of having lost six of their past eight domestic finals in all formats.
Queensland also gained practice on the final day, as Ryan Broad (100 not out) and Martin Love (77) posted the biggest opening stand (181) of the season.
But the Bulls, who finished 317 runs in arrears at 1-187 in their second innings, had to rely on South Australia beating Tasmania to secure their spot.
Four of the past five Shield finals have effectively been decided by the home side – which only needs to draw – posting huge totals.
But White, whose side became the first in 30 years to go a season without conceding a point, said Victoria were not intent on just batting out time.
“History shows that not too many finals end up being drawn anyway,” he said.
“Most teams play to win and it ends up that way.
“You’ve got to have some advantage for finishing on top each year, and that’s the one decided on.
“You’ve got to look to win and bowl and bat as well as you can, if you go in with an attitude like that (playing for a draw) I don’t think it would work for you.”
Queensland captain Chris Simpson denied his side had been deflated by Victoria’s batting marathon.
He bowled 65 overs of off-spin for 4-194, and pacemen Ben Laughlin (2-223) and Nathan Rimmington (0-183) bowled 99 overs between them.
“I don’t think it was deflating, it was a very good batting effort,” Simpson said.
“To be fair, our guys were laughing to the end and throwing some punches.
“That was a fantastic effort this afternoon to reach 1-187 after being in the field for three days – that’s a pretty good statement to Victoria that we’re ready.”
Queensland will aim to exploit Victoria’s shaky recent record in finals, having recently won the one-day decider at the MCG.
White admitted Victoria’s superb season counted for little.
“We’ve been, in theory, the best team in one-day cricket for the last three years and we still haven’t won anything,” he said.
“It means nothing to be honest, it comes down to the last game of the season and we’ve got to win that one.”
Victoria could be bolstered by the return of pacemen Dirk Nannes and Shane Harwood, who are fit again, and Damien Wright, who was rested in the last round.
Fellow quick Clint McKay (side strain) is their only injury concern.
Aside from needing 20 wickets, Queensland’s focus will be resting leg-weary bowlers and finding a replacement for likely absentee Chris Swan (groin).
Ben Cutting, Scott Brandt and even Ashley Noffke are replacement options.
The final was shifted to the Junction because the MCG will host a rock concert to benefit bushfire victims on Saturday.
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