Will Sutherland five-for, Will Pucovski fifty keep Victoria floating

Tailender Corey Rocchiccioli’s 28-ball 50 pushed Western Australia to 386, before Pucovski made 59 in Victoria’s reply

Victoria 3 for 147 (Pucovski 59, Handscomb 39*, Hardie 2-35) trail Western Australia 386 (Bancroft 141, Whiteman 85, Sutherland 5-78) by 239 runs

Sutherland’s third Shield five-wicket haul saw Western Australia bowled out for just 386 after beginning the second day at a solid 3 for 290. His withering spell in the morning was vital for Victoria as the ball nipped and swung prodigiously under cloudy skies after barely moving for large portions of the opening day.

In reply, Victoria batted sensibly in the afternoon against some very consistent bowling, with Pucovski making a composed 59. But at the end of the day, Western Australia’s quicks managed to restrict Victoria’s run rate to 2.53, leaving them in danger of falling well short of Western Australia’s first-innings bonus-point tally, something which could decide the Shield if the match ends in a draw.

Wyllie and Philippe fell in almost identical fashion, with Sutherland going wide of the crease to both right-handers to angle into off stump. Both were caught on the crease as the ball straightened a fraction to catch the edge, as Matt Short held two simple catches at first slip.

Western Australia then slumped to 8 for 322 when Aaron Hardie attempted a booming drive off a Mitch Perry outswinger to be caught behind.

But Rocchiccioli, Joel Paris and Lance Morris added 64 for the last two wickets, with Rocchiccioli producing a staggering rearguard. He clubbed four fours and two sixes to reach 50 off 28 balls. Although he had nicked a couple to third man to get his innings underway, Rocchiccioli then unfurled some sensational hitting by slog sweeping Jon Holland for six, and hooking Perry into the stands.

Rocchiccioli brought up his half-century with a heave to long-on, and celebrated with a huge smile having reached his highest score at any level of cricket in nearly five years. He was clean bowled next ball trying to launch Sutherland into the Lillee-Marsh Stand to hand the Victorian quick his fifth wicket.

Victoria’s openers then started steadily with a 75-run stand against a disciplined Western Australia attack. They had to survive four consecutive maidens at one stage, with Travis Dean fortunate not to fall after Bancroft spilled a low chance to his left at second slip off Kelly.

Pucovski looked superb at the other end, producing two silky on drives and a classy cut shot. Dean was less assured and fell not long after tea to an excellent piece of captaincy from Shaun Marsh. He put in a short leg after Dean had inside edged several balls onto his pad. Hardie got one to bounce and seam a touch more, and the inside edge bobbled off his pad to short leg where Wyllie dived forward to take a very good catch.

Pucovski remained unflustered, reaching 50 from 107 balls with five fours. But Paris found a way through his rock-solid defence, snaking one back from around the wicket through the gate to scratch the inside edge and hand Philippe a simple catch behind.

Victoria’s scoring slowed to a crawl thereafter, and Short’s tortured stay ended as he edged Hardie to second slip for 10 off 45 balls with Bancroft making amends for his earlier miss pouching the chance at full stretch to his right. That is when Perry came in as nightwatchman and did his job.

Handscomb played nicely to finish on 39* at stumps, but Victoria remained 239 runs behind with just 42 overs left tomorrow to overcome a 0.77 bonus-point deficit, with 0.01 points accrued for every run scored over 200 inside the first 100 overs, as Western Australia look to add 0.1 to their tally with every wicket taken in the same period.