Victoria fight through record-breaking Ahmed

Victoria 0 for 135 (Rogers 79*, Quiney 48*) trail Western Australia 421 (Voges 107, Harris 81, Whiteman 72, Bancroft 55, Ahmed 8-89) by 286 runs
Scorecard

Fawad Ahmed claimed 8 for 89, the best figures for a Sheffield Shield spinner in more than 20 years, as Victoria fought back strongly on the second day of the final in Hobart. At stumps Victoria were 0 for 135 with Chris Rogers on 79 and Rob Quiney on 48, and they trailed Western Australia by 286 runs after dismissing the Warriors for 421 earlier in the day.

It was a fine comeback from Victoria after Western Australia began the day at 4 for 310. Adam Voges added only seven to his overnight score before he was bowled by Peter Siddle for 107, and Sam Whiteman was bowled by Ahmed's quicker legspinner for 72. The only other score of note for the Warriors was the 44 not out scored by Ashton Agar while Ahmed ran through the tail.

Ahmed picked up 5 for 24 on the second day and his final tally was the best ever recorded by a bowler in a Sheffield Shield final, beating the 8 for 101 claimed by Chris Matthews in 1988. It was the best for a Shield spinner in any match since Greg Matthews took 8 for 52 at the SCG in 1993, and he was the first legspinner to take eight in a Shield innings since Bob Holland in 1984.

It also took Ahmed's season tally to 48 victims at 23.79, comfortably the most of any player in this Shield summer, and will make him hard to overlook when the Test selectors pick squads for the upcoming tours of the West Indies and England. Most importantly he prevented Western Australia making the best of the solid start they had enjoyed on day one.