Despite both sides having a talented crop of players, the Victorian Bushrangers are top of the table, while the Tasmanian Tigers are on the bottom. Join The Roar for live scores of this Sheffield Shield match from 10:30am (AEDT).
It is telling how fiercely competitive the Sheffield Shield is that Victoria are top of the table despite only having two wins in five matches.
But the closeness of the Shield also means that a loss against Tasmania could see the Bushrangers fall to third on the table.
They also have to deal with the loss of a handful of their players, as Scott Boland, John Hastings, Aaron Finch and Matthew Wade having all been selected for the Australian ODI squad in New Zealand.
Still, they won’t be overly concerned, as the position they’re in has largely been manufactured by those still in their squad.
Victoria’s batting line-up has been filled with regular contributers, with newcomer Travis Head, along with Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis and Rob Quiney all among the top dozen run-scorers in the competition.
These batsmen will feel that they may have a good chance make big additions to their run tallies, as all of the three double-centuries hit this year have come against Tasmania.
With the ball, Peter Siddle and James Pattinson are returning, yet Victoria will still be heavily reliant on Fawad Ahmed.
Despite having fallen out of favour with the Australian selectors, Ahmed has continually impressed for Victoria this season, taking 15 wickets at 24.86.
He has been the one mainstay in a continually shifting Bushrangers bowling line-up and will relish the chance to take on a seemingly fragile Tasmanian batting side.
Tasmania, meanwhile, only lose two players to national duty, albeit key players George Bailey and James Faulkner.
They will be delighted their star bowler, Jackson Bird, has been allowed to play, even with the upcoming Tests in New Zealand.
Bird lies only behind Joe Mennie on the leading wicket-takers charts with 22 wickets in the competition, at an average of just 24. He has been given support by Andrew Fekete, who has 17 wickets, at the loose economy rate of 4.07.
With Ben Dunk and George Bailey the two highest run-scorers in the competition, with 595 and 543 runs respectively, it may seem batting was Tasmania’s stronger discipline.
But with Bailey absent, Tasmania don’t have anyone in their side with half as many runs as Ben Dunk. In fact, their third highest run-scorer, behind Bailey and Dunk, is Alex Doolan, who is currently averaging 27.37 in the Shield.
If their other batsmen don’t stand up, Tasmania will once more be heavily reliant on a stellar performance from Dunk.
Prediction
Despite both sides having a few very talented players, Victoria have the greater depth and therefore are favourites.
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Day 3 Victoria only just edged the first two days, but now on the third it seems they have just about wrapped up the match. This is in no small part down to an opening partnership of 108 between Dean and Quiney, eating through half of Victoria's 199 target. Though it was the bowlers who set up the game. Tremain in particular was brilliant as he continued his good form with four more Tasmanian scalps, to add to his three in the first innings, but all the bowlers chipped in as six different players claimed wickets. Victoria's strong showing with the ball makes McDermott's unbeaten 79 look all the more impressive. The promising young keeper was not given the gloves for this game but has still proved his worth in the side as he also made a crucial fifty in the first innings. With only 28 runs to get tomorrow perhaps the only question is when Quiney, currently on 83, will make enough to reach his century. The result is not in doubt.
jamesb
Guest
Tas 241 & 228 Vic 271 & 0/23 Target 199
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Day Two Another eventful day as this game looks poised for a great finish. Victoria have the edge, and that is largely thanks to Dan Christian. He started off simply supporting Handscomb, who ended with 50, but eventually decided to go after Rose. 43 of his 95 runs came from the spinner. Much like Victoria's pacers did in the first innings, the Tasmania quick bowlers shared the wickets around. Rainbird finished with 4/66, but Fekete and Bird also kept things very tight at their ends. Had Tasmania then finished the day one or maybe even two wickets down, the game would be at parity. But each of Victoria's main three quick bowlers chipped in with a wicket as Tasmania finished on 3/62, with a lead of just 32.
Don Freo
Guest
I notice Jordan Silk is 1 not out in the second innings. Is that his highest score for 2 seasons?
jamesb
Guest
Victoria 8/263 Christian 91* Tas 241
Klaus Nannestad
Roar Guru
Day One A good day for Victoria, though one that could have also been worse for Tasmania. The Tigers found themselves at 4/67, with all of their top order experience having already departed, when Webster and McDermott began to counter attack. McDermott would fall for 65 whereas Webster would go on to make his maiden first class century, before being dismissed on 107. For Victoria, the wickets were shared around. Tremain continued his impressive form with 3/48, while returning test pacers Siddle and Pattinson took two a piece. Victoria's opening batters then ensured the day ended on a high, with Quiney and Dean seeing out two overs before stumps were called.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
knowall, Geoff, Mitchell & Shaun are absolutely no relation to Rod.........
knowall
Guest
cricket;: What a joke going into a match without Khawaja and including Mitch Marsh and Maxwell. One of our so-called professional cicket writers said we cannot win without Maxwell- not much of a cricket expert to say the least. We dont need Maxwell.. He does not rate as a bowler -others can do as well: e.g.Smith or even Warner.; as a batsman he is hit and miss. Mitch Marsh is a failure, as is his father or uncle as a selector. Rod Marsh has done enough damage as a selector and should be replaced immediately The Marshes:- daddy, Mitch and Sean have thrived on nepotism, although Sean has come good after being given chance after chance- something that has not been given to many other good batsmen.
Perry Bridge
Guest
And Pete Siddle is off to a 'flier' with the new ball.
Scott Pryde
Expert
LUNCH, DAY 1 Early lunch has been taken, with no play yet. Rain has hung around and the covers were back on. Haven't even had the toss yet.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Scott Pryde
Expert
Scott Pryde
Expert
If you look at the Melbourne weather radar, it seems most of the rain has now past the MCG and there isn't more on the way. Hopefully we aren't too far from a start!
Scott Pryde
Expert
It's raining at the MCG and at this time, the start of play has been delayed. More updates as we have them.