A brilliant first innings has seen Tasmania win just their second match of the season after a convincing win over the ladder-leading Victorian Bushrangers.
The Bushrangers struggled to tally runs in their first innings with Beau Webster (3/18) and Hamish Kingston (3/40) producing a brilliant attack for the hosts to limit Victoria to just 165.
The Tigers came to the crease and did not disappoint with Ben Dunk (190), Alex Doolan (119) and George Bailey (107) all putting on a show to see Tasmania record their highest score all season with the Victorians – led by Jake Reed (3/114) – struggling to take wickets and seeing the hosts declare at 8/566.
Cameron White (106) led a late-Victorian revival however it wasn’t enough as Evan Gulbis (4/56) and Hamish Kingston (3/53) put the Sheffield Shield favourites to bed with an innings and 136-run win bowling the Bushrangers all out for 265.
Victoria Bushrangers – 165 (Chris Tremain 28; Beau Webster 3/18), 265 (Cameron White 106; Evan Gulbis 4/56)
Tasmanian Tigers – 8/566D (Ben Dunk 190; Jake Reed 3/114)
The Victorian Bushrangers are out to secure a finals berth when they head south to Bellerive Oval to take on the last-placed Tasmanian Tigers. Join The Roar for score updates from 10:30am (AEDT).
Tasmania are coming off a heavy defeat at the hands of the Queensland Bulls, whom they lost to by seven wickets after Jack Wildermuth bowled career-best figures of 6/87.
Still, the Tigers showed plenty of fight, with Beau Webster batting to reach 106 runs and bowling for 3/51 during the first innings.
There are only two changes to Daniel Marsh’s 12-man squad, with Tim Paine and Alex Doolan replacing Jordan Silk and Jake Doran.
Victoria showed why they are favourites to take out yet another Shield title during their Round 7 win over title contenders South Australia, winning by 218 runs after Scott Boland and Fawad Ahmed took eight and five wickets respectively.
The visitors have made three changes – Clint McKay has been omitted, Rob Quiney has a minor calf injury, while Glenn Maxwell has Test commitments.
The trio are replaced by Cameron White, Aaron Ayre and Jon Holland.
John Hastings and Aaron Finch are unavailable, with the pair headed to South Africa for the upcoming three-test Twenty20 series in the lead-up to the World Twenty20 tournament to be held in India.
Victoria and Tasmania last met back in Round 6, for the start of the second half of the season. The Bushrangers cruised to a seven-wicket win at the MCG, following a great performance from Dan Christian for the hosts.
The home side could be saved by the weather, with an 80 per cent chance of rain on Day 1 and possible showers on Days 2 and 4.
Prediction
Victoria will record a convincing win and secure their place in the Sheffield Shield final.
Join The Roar for score updates from 10:30am (AEDT), and comment below if you’re watching the match.
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
A brilliant first innings has seen Tasmania win just their second match of the season after a convincing win over the ladder-leading Victorian Bushrangers. The Bushrangers struggled to tally runs in their first innings with Beau Webster (3/18) and Hamish Kingston (3/40) producing a brilliant attack for the hosts to limit Victoria to just 165. The Tigers came to the crease and did not disappoint with Ben Dunk (190), Alex Doolan (119) and George Bailey (107) all putting on a show to see Tasmania record their highest score all season with the Victorians - led by Jake Reed (3/114) - struggling to take wickets and seeing the hosts declare at 8/566. Cameron White (106) led a late-Victorian revival however it wasn't enough as Evan Gulbis (4/56) and Hamish Kingston (3/53) put the Sheffield Shield favourites to bed with an innings and 136-run win bowling the Bushrangers all out for 265. Victoria Bushrangers – 165 (Chris Tremain 28; Beau Webster 3/18), 265 (Cameron White 106; Evan Gulbis 4/56) Tasmanian Tigers – 8/566D (Ben Dunk 190; Jake Reed 3/114)
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Stumps, Day Three: The Tasmanian Tigers have declared at 8/566 giving the Victorian Bushrangers a chance to book a spot at the final. Cameron White led the visitors on day three reaching a ton at the end of the day from just 118 balls. Scott Boland currently shares the crease on 51 with the Bushrangers piling on the runs with just three wickets in hand. Evan Gulbis has enjoyed a stellar day with the ball taking four wickets off just 18 overs for 41 runs. The Bushrangers have a huge challenge as they look to close the 162-run gap and salvage a draw. Victoria Bushrangers – 165 (Chris Tremain 28; Beau Webster 3/18), 7/239 (Cameron White 100*; Evan Gulbis 4/41) Tasmanian Tigers – 8/566D (Ben Dunk 190; Jake Reed 3/114)
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Stumps, Day Two: The Tasmanian Tigers have continued to shock and asserted their dominance over the Bushrangers recording 5/506 at the end of day two. Tasmania shocked Victoria after they bowled out the ladder-leaders for just 165. Ben Dunk showed exactly why he has been one of the most dominant batsmen in recent weeks posting a massive 190 while Alex Doolan also reached a ton tallying 119. After a horror match last week against the Bulls, skipper George Bailey remains at the crease at the end of day two having hit three sixes to reach 103. Scott Boland took the wickets of both Dunk and Doolan with the Victorians hoping for a miracle as they try to salvage a final berth. Victoria Bushrangers – 165 (Chris Tremain 28; Beau Webster 3/18) Tasmanian Tigers – 5/506 (Ben Dunk 194; Scott Boland 2/71)
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Stumps, Day One: The Tasmanian Tigers have got off to the best possible start courtesy of a brilliant attack from Hamish Kingston and Beau Webster which saw the Bushrangers make just 165 runs in their first innings. Kingston managed to take 3/40 from 11 overs while Webster continued his brilliant form with a hugely impressive 3/18 off just 4.2 overs. Victoria struggled to get runs on the board with Chris Tremain their best at the crease hitting 28 runs including four boundaries. Ben Dunk has got the Tigers' first innings off to a great start recording 78 runs after an early scare saw Tim Paine and Beau Webster bowled out for 2 and 7 runs respectively with Tremain taking both wickets. Tasmania sit just fifty runs shy of the Bushrangers at the end of day one. Victoria Bushrangers - 165 (Chris Tremain 28; Beau Webster 3/18) Tasmanian Tigers - 2/115 (Ben Dunk 78; Chris Tremain 2/26)
jamesb
Guest
Vic 165 all out. Webster 3/18
jamesb
Guest
Vic 8/158. Pretty much everyone has failed for Victoria.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Just as I look, the Vics lose their 6th. No, 5? No, 6. Handscomb, Stoinis, Wade and Dean all gone cheaply. A bunch of no name bowlers doing the job for Tassie.