Smith simmers after lbw with Vics on verge of victory

Steve Smith will walk away with only three runs from two innings in what could be his only Sheffield Shield match before the Border Gavaskar Trophy as Victoria closed in on victory at the MCG.

Smith left onlookers in little doubt over his feelings after being given out lbw for a fourth-ball duck to Scott Boland on day three as NSW stumbled in their pursuit of an unlikely 383 for victory on the seaming drop-in surface.

Sam Konstas, who had suffered the same fate against Boland in the first innings, showed his promise with a gritty 43 from 97 balls but threw away a big score when he was caught trying to hoick spinner Todd Murphy.

Josh Philippe's excellent match with gloves and bat continued as he got to stumps unbeaten on 70no to back up his first-innings knock of 45no as well as his eight catches across the Vics' two innings.

Mitchell Starc (4no) was down the other end when stumps was called with NSW 6-185, still 198 away from their target.

But Australia coach Andrew McDonald and selector Tony Dodemaide, who have kept a close eye on the star-studded contest in Melbourne, would have loved to have seen Smith spend more time at the crease.

"I'm sure there’s going to be a few shoulders feel the wrath of that," said Starc, referring to the likelihood of Smith spending extra time facing throwdowns over the coming weeks.

The soon-to-be-reinstated Test No.4 was dismayed with being triggered after leaving the Boland delivery onto his front pad.

"They can talk about it all they want," said Boland. "I thought it was out. It only has to hit the stumps when you don't use your bat like that."

Smith has said he expected this Shield match to be his only first-class outing for NSW ahead of the five-Test series against India, though he could play in Friday's one-dayer against Victoria at the Junction Oval.

His involvement in the upcoming ODI series against Pakistan will rule him out of playing in NSW's next match against Queensland.

While he kept the door ajar on having another run in the Shield, it appears likely he will tune up against the red ball in centre-wicket practice sessions in Perth leading into next month's first Test.

"I think I'm playing the ODIs so that's it," Smith said on Monday before NSW's second innings.

"I've played a lot of cricket now and I feel good. I'll … talk to the powers that be and see what they think is best.

"But they'll trust my preparation as well. I've played for a long time and I know what I need now."

Victoria had Sam Harper (72) and Tom Rogers (59) to thank for their sizeable lead as the pair put on 130 for the fifth wicket having come together with their side 4-32 the previous evening.

Starc (6-81) ran through the tail but not before late runs from Fergus O'Neill (33) and Murphy (36) pushed the game further out of the Blues' reach, with the visitors left to rue a series of dropped chances.

"I nearly got to 40 overs, which was probably more than the people off the field would have liked," said Starc, who finished with seven wickets from 36.5 overs for the match.

"Wickets aside, the rhythm was there and it felt the best I've felt in a while. Across the two innings it feels like it's in a good spot at the front end of the summer.

"The little things I've been trying to groove feel like they're coming together."

Konstas got a life from Peter Handscomb on 23, also off the bowling of Boland, but otherwise looked composed against a Victorian attack that have out-bowled their opponents.

Boland has been a threat in his first game back from knee and foot injuries and had Nic Maddinson, who Smith talked up as a Test opening contender, caught at slip off a no-ball before nicking him off again on a legal delivery in the same over.