Scott Boland powers through the bowling crease © Getty Images
Tasmania 8 for 234 (Wade 86) trail Victoria 454 (Maddinson 136, Harris 94, Gotch 93, Meredith 4-86) by 220 runs
Victoria’s bowlers have dominated on a wet and windy day in Melbourne to put the home side firmly in control of their clash with Tasmania at the Junction Oval.
Andrew Fekete and Scott Boland took three wickets each but all four of Victoria’s frontline bowlers contributed as the Tigers slumped to 8 for 234 in replay to Victoria’s first innings total of 454 bolstered by Seb Gotch‘s 93
Tasmania skipper Matthew Wade once again played a lone hand making 86. He has now passed 50 eight times for the Shield season but only has one century.
The Tigers lost Jordan Silk early caught at third slip by Matt Short off Fekete. Alex Doolan and Charlie Wakim built steadily before Wakim also edged Fekete, Cameron White taking the sharp chance at second slip.
Wade scored briskly from the moment he entered but watched problems unfold at the other end. Doolan was given out lbw in strange circumstances for 30 when he shuffled across his stumps and the ball flicked his pad before going past leg stump, but the umpire deemed he was out leg before to Boland. The big quick then delivered a brute of a short ball to Jake Doran who fended it to slip.
Wade kept motoring reaching 72 at a run-a-ball but then he slowed significantly with the loss of Ben McDermott who was out chipping a simple caught and bowled chance back to Jon Holland.
Wade fell to Chris Tremain after scoring just 14 runs from his last 56 deliveries as Victoria strangled the Tigers. Jarrod Freeman fought hard for 22 from 60 balls in just his second Sheffield Shield match before Fekete found his outside edge. Boland had Jackson Bird caught and bowled leaving Sam Rainbird was 25 not out at stumps with the Tigers still 220 runs behind with two days to play.
Earlier, Gotch fell seven runs short of his maiden Sheffield Shield century. He reached 93 as Victoria added 78 to their overnight total. Boland and Holland fell in the first nine overs of the morning leaving Fekete to help Gotch reach three figures. The pair added 63 in 62 balls with Fekete contributing just one run before Gotch was caught in the gully off Rainbird. Riley Meredith finished with four wickets for the innings.
Alex Malcolm is a freelance writer based in Melbourne
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo