Another Tremain five-for puts Victoria on top

Chris Tremain continued his stellar start to the Sheffield Shield season claiming his second successive five-wicket haul to put Victoria in a very strong position on day one against New South Wales at the MCG. Tremain made use of the unusually green surface after his captain Peter Handscomb elected to bowl.

He scratched the outside edge of Daniel Hughes from around the wicket and also claimed Moises Henriques in a lengthy opening spell. Scott Boland provided tremendous support bowling Nick Larkin and later trapping Jack Edwards in front after a 50-run partnership with Kurtis Patterson had arrested the momentum.

Tremain then had Peter Nevill caught behind cheaply before breaching the defence of Jason Sangha with an offcutter. Patterson, who played a lone hand with 63, was Tremain's fifth wicket. It was a carbon copy of his first, angling in from around the wicket and darting away off the seam to take the outside edge and give keeper Seb Gotch his fourth catch. Tremain has 14 wickets in three innings so far this season after taking 51 last summer. Fawad Ahmed cleaned up the tail taking 3 for 18 to leave the Blues all out for just 159.

Victoria's reply started terribly with Trent Copeland producing an equally skillful spell to remove Travis Dean and Eamonn Vines early and leave the home side 2 for 6. But Marcus Harris and Handscomb steadied with a 92-run stand. Handscomb fell late in the day for 48. He edged a short and wide delivery from legspinner Daniel Fallins to slip. Harris remained unbeaten on 51 at the close alongside nightwatchman Boland.