WA, Vics second innings shootout set to decide Shield finalist

Victoria have their noses in front of Western Australia halfway through a match that appears set to decide who faces South Australia in the Sheffield Shield final.

Outstanding bowling from captain Will Sutherland, veteran Peter Siddle and fellow paceman David Moody gave the visitors a narrow 11-run first innings lead on Sunday at the WACA Ground.

Given the state of the other two ongoing Shield games, and with no rain forecast in Perth for the next two days, whoever wins this match will most likely head to Adelaide for the final.

Second-placed Queensland are in dire straits against SA and third-placed NSW are also behind on the first innings against Tasmania.

Fourth-placed WA and Victoria, who started the final round in fifth, are less than an outright win (worth six points) behind Queensland in the season standings.

WA resumed on day two at 1-10 and their top order struggled as they pursued Victoria's first innings of 197.

They slumped to 8-111 before recent Test debutant Cooper Connolly, batting at No.7, led a lower-order counterpunch that nearly gave them the lead.

But he was the last wicket to fall for a top score of 56 as the home side was dismissed for 186.

That set up an absorbing 18 overs at the end of the day, with WA desperate for quick wickets to wrest back the momentum.

Victorian openers Campbell Kellaway (20 not out) and Marcus Harris (11no) survived to stumps as the visitors ended on 0-32, a lead of 43.

WA paceman Joel Paris went very close to trapping Kellaway lbw with the first ball of the innings, with the left-armer glaring at the umpire when his appeal was turned down.

Victorian wicketkeeper Peter Handscomb took seven catches as Sutherland, Siddle and Moody repeatedly asked searching questions of the WA batters.

Making his Victorian debut and playing against his old state, Moody claimed 4-41.

Sutherland took 3-32 as well as a great catch in slips, while Siddle's 13.2 overs yielded 3-10 and eight maidens.

Connolly combined with No.10 Cameron Gannon for a 53-run stand that gave the home side hope of a first-innings lead, but Moody had Gannon caught behind for 26.

After hitting eight fours and a six in his 104-ball knock, Connolly was unimpressed when given out caught behind off Siddle, with the ball cutting back and the umpire ruling there was an inside edge.

No.4 Jayden Goodwin made 36 as the only other WA batsman to reach 20.

Sheffield Shield standings 2024-25

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Drawn D	No results N/R	Deductions Ded.	Batting Bonus Bat	Bowling Bonus Bowl	Total points PTS
1 South Australia Men SA	9	6	1	2	0	0	5.46	8.3	51.76
2 Queensland Bulls QLD	9	3	3	3	0	0	7.5	8.3	36.8
3 NSW Men NSW	9	3	3	3	0	0	6.99	7.4	35.39
4 Western Australia Men WA	9	3	3	3	0	0	5.83	7.6	34.43
5 Victoria Men VIC	9	3	5	1	0	0	5.19	8.3	32.49
6 Tasmanian Tigers Men TAS	9	2	5	2	0	0	6.41	7.2	27.61

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

D: Drawn

N/R: No results

Ded.: Deductions

Bat: Batting Bonus

Bowl: Bowling Bonus

PTS: Total points