Victoria storm to another Shield title

Victoria have claimed a 32nd JLT Sheffield Shield title by defeating the NSW Blues by 177 runs on the fourth afternoon of the title decider at Junction Oval. 

A fired-up James Pattinson spearheaded the charge that saw the NSW Blues slip from 2-162 midway through the second session to 210 all out, losing 8-48. 

Marcus Harris was named player of the match for his first-innings 141 and the Ashes-bound Test opener was the only batsman that could master the inconsistent bounce and seam movement from the Junction Oval surface. 

It caps an incredible year for Victorian cricket after the state also won the JLT One-Day Cup at the opening of the summer, while the Melbourne Renegades won their first KFC BBL title.

Harris, Chris Tremain and Cameron White were the only players involved in all three titles – the first time any player has been involved in Australian domestic cricket's treble. Coach Andrew McDonald was also in charge for all three victories. 

For White, who faces an uncertain future with Victoria, this was his sixth Shield title dating back to 2008-09.

Pattinson (4-41) and Peter Siddle were able to extract the best from the surface and appeared a class above in a match chock-full of bowling talent hoping to spend their winter in the UK. 

The Blues were set a daunting run chase of 388 to deny Victoria their fourth Shield title in five years after they wrapped up the Victorian tail quickly on the fourth morning.

And while Kurtis Patterson and Daniel Hughes were putting on 120 for the second wicket it looked within the realms of possibility.

Patterson had been given a life on 20 when Scott Boland's first delivery drew a thick the outside edge that Travis Dean put down diving to his left at third slip. 

He pushed on to his fourth fifty of the Shield season but his dismissal to a meek caught-and-bowled on 76 broke the partnership with Hughes and was all the invitation the Victorians needed.

The Blues then lost 6-50 in the remainder of the second session before rain brought an early tea break as Pattinson and Siddle again caused carnage for NSW.

Pattinson who bowled with found enough seam movement to draw the outside edge from Hughes where White bobbled the ball at second slip but safely held on to the catch. 

And in the next over teenager Jason Sangha was run out at the non-striker's end when Henriques blasted a straight drive that took a deflection off the fingertips of Siddle. 

After a short rain delay that barely lasted longer than the drinks break, Pattinson drew the outside edge off Henriques, and then proved a class above to send young Jack Edwards on his way, with both batsmen caught by Victoria 'keeper Seb Gotch.

Tremain then joined the party to send Stephen O'Keefe's off-stump cartwheeling. 

Trent Copleand became Boland's first wicket of the match when he had his off-stump pegged back, and tireless seamer claimed a second when he trapped NSW captain Peter Nevill in front. 

That was the 14th lbw for the match – a Shield final record. 

Sean Abbott was the final wicket, caught by Pattinson to give Boland 3-30 from 11.3 overs. 

Victoria had resumed at 7-207 and were bowled out for 219 with Copeland collecting two wickets and Abbott the other.

Siddle was the first to fall, edging Copeland behind to give the veteran Blues seamer his 51st wicket of the Shield season to take him above Tasmania's Jackson Bird as the competition's leading wicket taker. 

Pattinson then hooked an Abbott short ball to Harry Conway on the fine leg boundary, and Boland was the last man out as Copeland speared a yorker in past the tailender's defences. 

Copeland finished the Shield season with 52 wickets at 18.21, and an economy of 2.31 for comfortably the best return of his Shield career. 

And he's done it in a game less than Bird, who took 50 in 10 matches at 22.22 and an economy of 2.78.

Copeland's previous best in a Shield season had been the 45 wickets he took in 2010-11, a performance that led to his Test debut against Sri Lanka. 

His efforts this summer have led some to tout him for a Test recall ahead of an Ashes tour, including state teammate Stephen O'Keefe.

"He's been unbelievable and his numbers sort of show that I think it would be remiss of the Aussie selectors not to take him to England, even if it's in the A squad," O'Keefe said.

"I think he's bowling the best in his career. He's just got past Alan Davidson (in ninth spot) all time (wicket taking list) for NSW.

"A guy who has never ever really been thought of, and is probably going to be one of NSW's great bowlers, so very happy for him.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you saw his name in a 17-man squad in the Ashes series, for sure."

Copeland has experience in English conditions, having played country cricket in 2013 for Northamptonshire, where he took 45 wickets in 10 Division Two matches at 18.26.

Victoria XI: Travis Dean (c), Marcus Harris, Will Pucovski, Cameron White, Matt Short, Seb Gotch (wk), James Pattinson, Chris Tremain, Peter Siddle, Scott Boland, Jon Holland

NSW XI: Nick Larkin, Daniel Hughes, Kurtis Patterson, Moises Henriques, Jason Sangha, Jack Edwards, Peter Nevill (c/wk), Trent Copeland, Sean Abbott, Stephen O'Keefe, Harry Conway