Handscomb bats all day as Victoria pile on the runs

Peter Handscomb has reaffirmed his status as one of Australia's best batters not in the Test side with a second straight century to start the Marsh Sheffield Shield season.

The Victorian skipper went to stumps unbeaten on 174 alongside Sam Harper (77no) on another batter dominated day at the CitiPower Centre as the hosts reduced the deficit to 20 by the end of day three.

The 16-Test representative kept his name top of mind for selectors – not just for the upcoming four match tour of India in February, but this summer as well – as he no doubt eyes a middle-order berth against the West Indies and South Africa.

The leading run-scorer of the 2021-22 Shield season resumed the penultimate day on 12, with he and opener Marcus Harris negotiating an initial burst from Western Australia's quicks, who quickly returned to their short-pitched tactic from the previous day on an extremely friendly batting surface that is yet to deteriorate as Victoria hoped.

There was just one delivery for the entire day, which dismissed Matt Short for 17, that made the batters uncomfortable, with that off-break from Corey Rocchiccioli (1-118) rising sharply and taking the allrounder's glove before a diving Aaron Hardie completed the catch at slip.

It's meant hopes of a result tomorrow are fast evaporating with Victoria seemingly to only side in a position to win the match, with WA still needing to take another 16 wickets without the services of Joel Paris who left the field with a left hip complaint during the middle session.

"He's had a few of those in the past; I'm not sure how bad it is but he was pretty flat," WA captain Sam Whiteman told cricket.com.au after stumps.

"I can't imagine he'll play any further part in the game. Fingers crossed it's not too bad and he can be back up and running soon.

"We tried reverse (swing) all day … but ideally you're bowling reverse swing to new batters.

"When you've got set guys in, they're all over it.

"We're going to have to bowl well the first couple hours tomorrow and try to take some wickets and contain the scoreboard so we don't have to bat under heavy pressure."

Handscomb, who has moved into the top eight Victorian Sheffield Shield run-scorers of all-time, rode his luck early as he a Harris added an even 100 without loss in the opening session.

Handscomb was dropped at backward square leg by Cameron Bancroft on 41, and again at mid-on by Rocchiccioli on 58.

Harris continued his happy hunting ground at the Junction Oval, reaching his fifth century at the venue with a square drive through point just before the lunch break.

The former Test opener continued his purple patch since being dropped from the Australian side during last summer's Ashes, backing up his three county centuries with Gloucestershire during the winter, and his 85 in Victoria's opening Shield match of the season, with his 23rd in first-class hundred.

But he wouldn't add to his score after the break as he fell to a superb catch by Bancroft at short mid-wicket, who clung on diving low to his right to give Aaron Hardie his first wicket.

Hardie (2-48) gave the visitors a glimmer of hope they could break through the Victorian batting line-up with a second wicket four overs later as Nic Maddinson (2) fell in the same fashion as his teammate.

Victoria were 4-278 when Short was dismissed, still 188 runs in arrears of WA's first innings 466, but any upper hand they looked to have gained quickly disappeared as Harper went on the attack.

Harper and Handscomb smashed 14 fours and four sixes after tea as Victoria whacked 152 runs in the final session to almost reach parity at stumps.

The Victorian wicketkeeper brought up his fifth Shield half century with a towering six off Rocchiccioli that travelled at least 100m and landed in the driveway at the base of the old scoreboard.

WA's quicks toiled hard all day, managing to get the ball reversing at times as Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson each reached speeds in the mid-140kph range, but they received little assistance from the dry surface.

And while the pitch that was also used during two T20 World Cup warm-up matches last week has achieved its goal in blunting WA's fierce pace attack, it is yet to offer any substantial assistance for the spinners.

It remains to be seen if Victoria will bat on tomorrow to surge into the lead with Harper in reach of a second first-class hundred and Handscomb 26 away from a second double century or declare overnight and try to force a result with quick wickets.