Brasher's defiant half-century keeps Victoria alive after Straker's strikes

A defiant unbeaten half-century from debutant Dylan Brasher kept Victoria's hopes of chasing a fourth innings target of 242 alive after Queensland's young gun Tom Straker had ripped through the hosts top order on the third day of a gripping Sheffield Shield clash at the MCG.

The 25-year-old Brasher, who had earned his first-class debut on the back of a mountain of premier cricket and second XI runs, played like a veteran to reach 54 not out by stumps and help Victoria to 150 for 6, still requiring 92 for victory after Straker's three-wicket new ball burst had rocked Victoria's chase.

Having slumped to 88 for 5, Brasher and Mitchell Perry combined for a 57-run stand to make Queensland nervous with Perry making 27.

Perry was dropped by Usman Khawaja at first slip off Mitchell Swepson on 24. It was a regulation chance to his left and would have left Victoria 140 for 6, still requiring 102 to win. They added another 10 before Jem Ryan broke through for a second time after earlier removing Peter Handscomb, with Perry spooning a catch to cover.

Victoria made a blistering start to their chase with Sam Harper promoted to open the batting as he was in the last meeting with Queensland at the Gabba before the BBL when he made sparkling 85. He took 14 off Michael Neser's first over with an array of fabulous drives and cuts. He raced to 19 off 11 before he was given out lbw for the second time in the match. He was in complete shock given the ball missed his pad and hit him near the groin.

It gave Straker his first breakthrough and he went on a tear. Blake Macdonald was caught behind for a five-ball duck when he was unsure whether to play or leave a probing delivery in the channel. Straker then worked over Campbell Kellaway from around the wicket before eventually squaring him up to have him caught in the gully.

Straker had 3 for 2 from five overs and Victoria were 32 for 3 before Brasher and Handscomb settled. Brasher looking very calm and composed. He left and defended confidently while picking off anything slightly overpitched, unfurling a couple of glorious drives in the process.

The left-hander never looked in any real trouble. Handscomb was less assured than he was during his first innings 67, got away with a top edge off Neser and played and missed a few times but still rotated the strike well and pounced on any width.

The pair shared a 47-run stand before Ryan jagged one back through Handcomb's gate to swing the game back in Queensland's favour. Swepson then ripped a sharp legbreak from the footmarks from around the wicket to clean bowl Harry Dixon for 5 and leave Victoria in danger of losing the game before stumps.

But Brasher and Perry steadied as the ball softened. Perry was unable to reach the close, but Brasher and Fergus O'Neill will have 10 overs to get as many as they can on the fourth morning before Queensland get a second new ball to try and win the game.

Earlier in the day, Hayden Kerr made a crucial 36 to frustrate Victoria and help Queensland post a very competitive fourth innings target.

Having begun the day on 173 for 6 with 17 overs to get as many as they could ahead of new ball, Neser fell lbw to Sam Elliott to give Victoria hope of keeping the fourth innings target under 200. But Kerr and Straker put on 38 to push the lead well past 200. Victoria finally broke through with the second new ball when Perry got one to nip back sharply off the seam to clatter Straker's stumps.

Kerr nicked an equally good delivery from O'Neill to end his 89-ball stay. The field spread for Swepson who again swung hard, as he did in the first innings, searching for late runs. He slapped two boundaries before holing out to long-off to hand O'Neill his third.