Late wickets give Blues edge over Vics

NSW will look to Test spinner Nathan Lyon as they seek a win over Victoria in Alice Springs that would catapult them into the Sheffield Shield final.

The Blues had the better of a low-scoring third day with Shield holders Victoria crashing late in the final session to be 3-20 in pursuit of a formidable victory target of 269 on a spinning wicket.

The winner will face South Australia in the decider starting on Saturday week while a draw will be enough for Victoria to creep into the final.

Defeat would be a disaster for defending champions Victoria, who seemed untouchable at the Shield summit just a month ago before suffering three successive defeats.

NSW fast bowler Trent Copeland was the star on Thursday, top-scoring with a crucial 47 batting at No.7, as the Blues cobbled together 178 in their second innings for a lead of 268. Dan Christian (5-40) was the pick of the Bushrangers' bowlers.

Copeland then shone with the ball, knocking over Victoria's two openers - Travis Dean and Rob Quiney - as the shadows lengthened at Traeger Park.

Earlier on Thursday, NSW cleaned up the Victorian tail as the Bushrangers added just 12 runs to their overnight 8-239, before Abbott struck twice within an over.

Marcus Stoinis was the backbone of the Bushrangers' first innings, notching his third first-class century with a determined 107 off 199 balls.

Both teams lined up with two spinners, but Copeland believes it is Lyon - with support from teenage rookie spinner Arjun Nair - that can lift the Blues into the final.

"He (Lyon) is getting serious amounts of turn outside off-stump," said Copeland. "I'm confident he will create seven chances by himself, let alone with the rest of us in support.

"It was a good day for us, and the scoreboard shows that we turned up ready to play.

"We have a Shield final on the line, and that is everything to us.

"We won the Matador (one-day) Cup and only lost one game, and we have also only lost one game in the Shield so I feel like we have been one of the better teams all season."

South Australia await the winner after their position in the final was confirmed on Thursday without a ball being bowled following Queensland's massive innings defeat to Western Australia at the Gabba.

"We need to be ready as a fielding unit, and put pressure on the Vics because it is not going to be easy to stick it out (with the bat)," said Copeland.