Vics seize top spot as Harper shines in win over NSW

A career-best knock from promoted opener Sam Harper fired Victoria to victory over New South Wales to see his side join Western Australia as the only two undefeated teams after the first block of Marsh One-Day Cup games.

On the eve of the AFL grand final, Brisbane Lions and Collingwood Magpies colours abounded in the Junction Oval crowd on an unseasonably warm public-holiday Friday in Melbourne as the hosts clinched their second consecutive victory to begin their 50-over campaign.

Player-of-the-match Harper showed why coach Chris Rogers pushed him up to open in place of World Cup reserve Matt Short as the wicketkeeper blazed 96 to lay the platform for Victoria's 7-298.

Perennial Marsh Cup standout Daniel Hughes (69 from 93 balls) found little support as the Blues never truly threatened to be bowled out for 239 in 46.2 overs.

Test paceman Scott Boland (2-56) led a disciplined effort from Victoria's bowlers, dismissing the two men who looked most likely to rip the game away from them in youngsters Jack Edwards (who made 15, failing to back up his spectacular quick-fire 92 against Tasmania two days earlier) and Ollie Davies (41 off 50).

Victoria fielded brilliantly, with Sam Elliott and Campbell Kellaway both taking athletic boundary catches. The Blues, on the other hand, rued Chris Green putting down both Harper, at mid-wicket, and Marcus Harris (50 off 72), at point.  

Victoria's 59-run win put them on top of the Marsh Cup standings, setting up a potentially season-defining clash in their next 50-over match against back-to-back reigning champions WA on October 9 at the WACA Ground.

That follows next week's Sheffield Shield final rematch between those two sides at the same venue.

The diminutive Harper peppered the leg-side boundary in his 98-ball hand but fell agonisingly short of a maiden List A hundred. His ploy of shuffling across his crease proved his undoing, with the impressive Edwards (2-39 from 10 overs) pinning him lbw.

"I've been in and out of the (one-day) side the last few years. I had a different role at six so it's nice to be back at the top of the order and facing the new ball," said Harper, who pointed to a minor technical adjustment as a factor in his breakthrough innings.

"Most of us smaller-in-stature players are pretty strong square of the wicket and I never want to lose my pulling and cutting - they're strengths of mine - but any time they miss full, scoring powerfully down the ground will be an asset as well."

The end of Harper's brisk 134-run second-wicket stand with Marcus Harris saw the hosts fall in a hole, losing 5-52 in the space of 13 strangling overs from NSW led by allrounders Edwards and Hayden Kerr (3-57 off 10).  

It took a stirring effort from 20-year-old Kellaway (38 off 26), shunted down the order as Victoria's tactic to promote more powerful hitters Jono Merlo and Will Sutherland (who managed 13 off 27 between them) backfired.

Kellaway, the left-handed prospect who has featured for Australia A extensively over the winter, helped Victoria score 66 from their last six overs.

"He walked off and said, 'don't shove me down the order anymore' with a smile on his face," said coach Rogers.

"There's a little bit of that about him - he's here to prove how good he is.

"He might feel a little slighted when he's pushed down the order, but to prove he's good enough to hold his spot up the top, we're pleased with that.

"We know we've got a serious talent on our hands.

"He also he took a couple of really good catches out in the deep that were quite crucial. It was good for his confidence because he's a player on the rise and those little moments definitely help your career."

Davies struck several crisp blows, including a stunning straight six off Elliott, but was bowled by Boland just as the Blues had built some momentum.

Hughes struggled to maintain the pace as NSW went nine overs without a boundary as the asking rate ballooned above nine runs an over.

Both the opener and fellow leftie Kurtis Patterson (29 off 29) perished as they tried to keep up.

Third-gamer Tom Rogers (38 off 31) got Victoria off to a flyer after captain Peter Handscomb elected to bat first, smashing 21 off an over from Ben Dwarshuis, who endured a rough outing in conceding 1-79 from his nine overs.

Fellow left-arm quick Kerr (3-57) was more disciplined, making vital breakthroughs in dismissing Rogers, Harris, and then Kellaway from the final ball of the Victorian innings.

Both NSW and Victoria get their Sheffield Shield season underway on Wednesday, with the Blues to face Queensland at their new 'Cricket Central' facility in Silverwater, while the Vics travel to Perth.