Victoria and Western Australia in tight wrestle

Victoria 199 and 2 for 80 lead Western Australia 274 (Pomersbach 74, Ronchi 55, Pattinson 3-70, Wright 3-72) by 5 runs
Scorecard

Luke Pomersbach delivered first-innings points for Western Australia but Victoria have not given up on an outright win as they push for a home Sheffield Shield final. Half-centuries to Pomersbach and Ronchi gave the Warriors a 75-run advantage but by stumps Victoria had sneaked back into the lead with eight wickets in hand.

The Bushrangers were 2 for 80, with Nick Jewell well set on 32 and the stand-in captain David Hussey unbeaten on 39. Chris Rogers and Aaron Finch had both fallen for single-figure scores to leave Victoria in a hole at 2 for 15 before the recovery, which was all the more important as their rivals for the hosting rights for the decider, Queensland, looked set for victory in Brisbane.

They had the chance to snare first-innings points when the Warriors stumbled to 6 for 136 after Damien Wright picked up Michael Swart and Mitchell Marsh from consecutive balls, both lbw not playing a shot. But Pomersbach and Ronchi combined for a 103-run stand that pushed the home side past Victoria's modest total.

Darren Pattinson eventually removed both men, Pomersbach lbw for 74 and Ronchi bowled for 55, and the tail pushed Western Australia to 274. Wright finished with 3 for 72 from 28 overs and Pattinson collected 3 for 70.