Harris, Handscomb put Vics in control against Blues

Incumbent Test opener Marcus Harris and Victoria captain Peter Handscomb have posted Marsh Sheffield Shield centuries in Sydney, blunting a NSW attack headlined by Nathan Lyon.

Harris (137) and Handscomb (115) boosted their cases for Ashes selection, helping the visitors declare at 3-290 late on a windswept third day at Drummoyne Oval.

The Blues reached 1-33 at stumps, losing Daniel Hughes in pursuit of a target of 339.

Will Pucovski looms as the frontrunner to open alongside David Warner when the Vodafone Ashes starts in Brisbane on December 8, provided he is able to recover from a 10th concussion.

Usman Khawaja already has two hundreds from four Shield knocks this season, plus a stack of experience gleaned from 44 Tests.

But Harris and Handscomb, forced to wait seven weeks to enter the race for spots in Australia's Test squad because of border closures, have underlined why they should be in the mix.

Lyon, who toiled for 0-64 from 29 overs in the visitors' second dig, and teammates largely kept things tight.

Harris and Handscomb initially struggled to score freely, adding 126 runs in two wicket-less sessions after Lyon opened the bowling on Friday morning.

But the pair's discipline ensured NSW had few moments of joy trying to break a venue-record stand of 261 runs until Sean Abbott removed both centurions in the space of three deliveries.

It also helped the set batters to cash in as hot wind buffeted the overworked bowlers, with 89 runs coming after tea as Victoria's second innings pushed into a 116th over.

Harris spent seven and a half hours at the crease, completing his 19th first-class ton after a productive winter of county cricket with Leicestershire.

Chances on 63 and 66, offered in the shadows of lunch, were the only blemishes in what was otherwise a composed knock.

The left-hander resumed on 41 and passed 50 in dominant fashion, dancing down the pitch and lofting the 121st delivery he faced over Lyon's head and onto the hill.

There was otherwise limited aggression from Harris until he ended a 32-minute stint in the nervous 90s, which threatened to extend past tea.

A hurried single, coming off the penultimate delivery of the post-lunch session, completed a 19th first-class ton from Harris after a productive winter of county cricket with Leicestershire.

Handscomb clipped a ball off his pads for four, soon after tea, to register his 16th first-class century.