Prolific Harris and Pucovski pairing counter WA's huge total

The prolific opening pairing of Marcus Harris and Will Pucovski has given Victoria hope they can claw their way back into their Marsh Sheffield Shield clash with Western Australia after another batter dominated day at the CitiPower Centre.

D'Arcy Short's top first-class score had put WA in a commanding position after their first innings with the visitors bowled out for an imposing 466 just before tea.

But Harris and Pucovski, who are both hoping to push their claims for higher honours during the opening six rounds of the Shield season before the Big Bash, showed just how good a batting strip it is as they countered WA's fierce pace attack with staunch defence and patient stroke play.

Pucovski, in particular, weathered a short ball barrage from WA speedster Lance Morris (1-28), copping a painful blow on the shoulder as the tearaway quick hit speeds up to 150kph.

Image Id: 20944E1F68D14C7897A0C81E5A116888 Image Caption: Pucovski is hit on the shoulder by a Lance Morris thunderbolt // Getty

The 24-year-old batting prodigy also survived a very close lbw shout that the visitors were convinced was out, and unless it clipped the toe of the bat, replays showed they had a pretty good case.

Harris took the aggressive role in an opening partnership that has averaged 142 in their seven innings together, striking 11 boundaries in his unbeaten 67 as the pair reached 104 without loss – their fourth century opening stand.

That was when Pucovski (37) finally succumbed to the short-pitched tactic, with a ball brushing his glove as it passed his rib cage on the way through to wicketkeeper Josh Philippe.

Harris and Victorian skipper Peter Handscomb (12no) then negotiated the remaining five overs to see Victoria safely to 1-124 at stumps, still trailing WA's first innings total by 342 runs.

It sets up an intriguing day three on what looks to be a surface that will take more spin as the match progresses, with Victoria weighing up whether to declare behind like they did on a similar surface against Tasmania late last season (where they won by two wickets in a nail-biting finish) or try to ensure they can't lose the match by batting for as long as possible in their first innings.

WA and Australia selectors will be buoyed by the return of Jhye Richardson to red-ball cricket for the first time since last year's second Ashes Test, with the 26-year-old consistently hitting speeds in the mid-140kph range as he got through two spells of six and four overs respectively.

Richardson played in WA's last Marsh One-Day Cup game against NSW earlier this month, collecting 4-24 in that match, but missed their Shield season opener two days later as medicos managed his return from a hamstring complaint in the pre-season.

Short was held back last night as Victoria claimed four final session wickets on day one but strode to the crease at No.8 nine overs into the day two after Rocchiccioli (27) edged behind to give Cameron McClure (1-53) his first wicket of the match.

It was a measured start by Short as he progressed to 17 off 52 balls with Hilton Cartwright adding 31 to his overnight score before he was also caught by Victoria wicketkeeper Sam Harper, this time off the bowling of Todd Murphy, and departed for 70 not long after Rocchiccioli.

Fast bowlers Joel Paris (10) and Richardson (21) provided valuable support for Short in partnerships of 30 and 41 for the eighth and ninth wickets as the left-hander reached his half century from 99 deliveries.

He then exploded as WA went in search of quick runs as they eyed a declaration, taking 25 runs from his last seven deliveries, which included two huge sixes off Matt Short's (1-38) off-spin and another off the leg-spin of debutant Ruwantha Kellapotha (2-122) before holing out to Harris at long-on 13 short of what would have been a maiden first-class century.

"The game situation probably dictates if I can get (to a century) or not," Short told cricket.com.au after stumps.

"I would have liked to have taken it a bit slower to try and get there but (we were) batting for a declaration and trying to get as many runs on the board, so I'm happy with 87.

"If you said I was going to get that at the start of the day I would have taken it.

"Towards the end it was just trying to get as many runs as possible and showing intent with the lower-order and try to not let the game just fizzle out."

Short now has scores of 90 in the Marsh Cup, 52 against the Indians in a T20 World Cup practice match and 87 today to start the season, making the most of his return to the Shield side after being omitted two matches prior to their drought-breaking title last season.

"I was quite disappointed at the end of last year not to be picked so it's just about trying to take my opportunities while I'm back in to score some runs," he said.

"I've changed my technique a little with the bat to be a bit higher and just trying to keep (the bat flow) all in one motion.

"I'm just trying not to be as handsy as what I was the last couple of years; it probably got me in trouble a little bit in terms of being late on the ball, so that seems to be working at the moment."

Todd Murphy, who was the pick of the Victorian bowlers with 3-104 from 35 overs, said they would let the game play out tomorrow before deciding if they would declare behind or try to pass WA and only bat once.

"I don't think there's any sort of preconceived plan at the moment, it will just be let the game play out tomorrow for the first session or two and see where we're at," he told cricket.com.au after stumps.

"The boys have started well and there's a few options now.

"If we are in a really strong position, it might be lets look to bat once and bat really big or if we are going to have to declare behind to give ourselves a chance to win the game, we'll look at it when it comes to that."