WA edge towards Shield final after Vics stumble with bat

Western Australia have taken a step towards hosting their third consecutive Marsh Sheffield Shield final after Victoria stumbled on the second day of their virtual semi-final at the Junction Oval.

On a lively surface sporting 12mm of grass, the Vics were skittled for just 144 before Test prospects Cameron Bancroft (42no) and Josh Inglis (45) rescued the competition's back-to-back reigning champions after an early wobble in their second dig.

Fergus O'Neill (3-30) and Todd Murphy (2-12) kept the hosts in the contest after giving up a 100-run first-innings deficit, but a 74-run partnership between Bancroft (42 off 151) and Inglis steadied the visitors’ cause.

O’Neill’s efforts were all the more impressive given the seamer has been battling illness all match.

WA were 219 ahead at stumps on day two with Joel Paris (6no) and Bancroft at the crease. 

It came as South Australia did WA a huge favour by putting the heat on top-placed Tasmania in Hobart, where the Tigers failed to record any first-innings batting points on Tuesday and are now in danger of slipping to a surprise defeat.

A win for the Redbacks at Blundstone Arena would open the door for WA to leapfrog the Tigers and host a third straight Shield final at the WACA Ground.

"We're aware of it and you keep half an eye on it," WA paceman Cameron Gannon told cricket.com.au.

"But at the end of the day, it's all about doing what we need to do.

"The great thing about last week at the WACA (beating Queensland) was that we control our fate. It's just about making sure we do everything we can to take results out of other people's hands and get the job done here.

"There's a lot to go in this game."

WA have beaten the Vics in the past two five-day deciders in Perth, and Will Sutherland's men are once again staring down the barrel of having their season ended by Australian cricket's standout state.

Gannon took his first five-wicket haul since crossing from Queensland to see Victoria bowled out for just 144 in reply to WA's first-innings 244.

Only Matt Short passed fifty for the hosts, a counter-attacking 53 off 69 balls that underlined the red-ball credentials of the allrounder who has emerged as one of Australia's top limited-overs prospects.

Victoria's failure to post a meaningful first-innings score hamstrung their bid to leapfrog WA and face Tasmania in the Shield final.

“It’s been doing a lot for most of the game,” Short said of the Junction pitch that ordinarily holds a reputation as a batting haven.

“There have been periods where we have been losing wickets in clumps and it’s hard to start as a new batsman.

“But if we can get a couple of partnerships going tomorrow, I’m sure we can chase down whatever the total is.”

Resuming on Tuesday morning on 1-7 with star batter Nic Maddinson already dismissed, Gannon and Joel Paris (2-16) tore a hole through the hosts' top-order after Inglis took a stunning one-handed catch to remove Marcus Harris (17).

Short on-drove his first ball for four, the first of a series of commanding shots from the right-hander, as nightwatchman Mitch Perry (37) held steady at the other end in an 80-run partnership.

But the Vics fell in a heap after Short was caught at deep square leg, the first of three Liam Haskett wickets, as all but four of the Victorians failed to reach double figures.

O'Neill was mighty with the new ball, trapping Sam Whiteman (4) lbw before having Jayden Goodwin (2) and Hilton Cartwright (second-ball duck) both caught behind in the space of three balls.

When Mitch Perry sent Aaron Hardie packing for 2, WA were 4-31 and only 69 runs ahead.

But Bancroft, the competition's second leading run scorer, held firm though Victoria remained in the hunt after Murphy had Inglis well caught by Short at slip and Charlie Stobo stumped in consecutive overs in the final hour of play.