In-form quick Scott Boland has taken the final two wickets late on the last day to seal a second straight Shield victory over NSW
Match Report:
ScorecardVics leave it late to knock over NSW
Victoria have secured a second straight outright Marsh Sheffield Shield win despite a heroic fourth-innings knock from NSW opener Daniel Hughes.
After entering the final day's play at the MCG in a commanding position, Victoria were expected to end the match early on Monday.
But Hughes had other ideas, carrying his bat to finish unbeaten on 89 from 319 balls as NSW fell 174 runs short of Victoria's mammoth target of 422.
Despite injuring his foot on Friday, veteran paceman Trent Copeland came out to bat with a runner with the Blues needing to survive another 15 overs.
But in-form Victorian quick Scott Boland trapped Copeland lbw with less than an hour remaining as NSW were all-out for 247.
Victoria's pace attack had to fight hard, with recently retired international quick James Pattinson (1-67) enduring a frustrating day.
Pattinson should have Hughes dismissed before lunch, but the tearaway quick overstepped on a ball that popped up to short-leg.
At one point, Pattinson threw a ball back in anger towards the stumps and hit Hughes flush on his foot.
Ouch! Daniel Hughes 71* (283) continues to defy Victoria despite copping this throw from James Pattinson in the second session #SheffieldShield pic.twitter.com/ChTkupId1n— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 8, 2021
Boland had more luck and continued his outstanding start to the season in front of new Australian selector Tony Dodemaide, who was a keen observer in the stands.
Boland finished with figures of 5-56 from 29.3 overs after claiming 3-33 in the first innings.
It follows up Boland's outstanding match haul of 7-73 in the season-opening win over NSW in Sydney last week.
The 32-year-old now has 15 first-class wickets at an average of 10.8 to start the summer to surely put him in contention for a call-up to the Ashes squad.
The home side declared in both of their innings, with captain Peter Handscomb and Matt Short both hitting scores of 90 on Sunday to put Victoria in an unbeatable position.
But incumbent Australian Test opener Marcus Harris fell for a duck in Victoria's second innings after scoring just one run in the first innings, capping off a nightmare match ahead of the Ashes first Test selection.
It was the third time in four first-class knocks this season he has been dismissed for single figures.