Siddle stars in Victoria win as Maddinson called up to Australia A

A five-wicket haul from the ageless Peter Siddle helped Victoria claim their first win of the Sheffield Shield season over leaders New South Wales at the SCG with Player of the Match Nic Maddinson called up to the Australia A team in place of team-mate Will Pucovski who remains out with concussion.

Siddle bagged 5 for 49 as the Blues were all out for 177 early in the final session on the fourth day chasing just 290 to win following a bold declaration from Victoria captain Peter Handscomb late on day three. The win vaults Victoria off the bottom of a bunched Shield table into fifth spot, and they remain a mathematical chance of playing in the final.

New South Wales began the day at 1 for 41 and Siddle made the early breakthrough removing night-watching Nathan Lyon who was caught at fine leg hooking in the first over of the morning.

They then slumped to 5 for 81 with Scott Boland ripping the heart out of the middle order. Kurtis Patterson and Moises Henriques were both caught behind feathering edges from probing deliveries. Will Sutherland picked up Daniel Hughes in a similar fashion to leave the Blues on the brink of defeat before a rain shower halted play.

The delay was only brief but it did give the home side a chance to regroup with Daniel Solway and Peter Nevill combing for a 54-run stand after lunch before Siddle returned to swing the game back in Victoria's favour. He forced a mistake from Nevill who fell to an outstanding catch from Handscomb at slip diving away to his right. Three balls late he bounced out Steve O'Keefe from around the wicket, as O'Keefe fended a simple catch to short leg.

Among the carnage, Solway stood firm to pass fifty for the third time in his debut season. But on 66 he was undone by SCG surface, pinned lbw by Siddle from a ball that shot low. It was Siddle's 24th five-wicket haul and his 11th for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield.

Maddinson was named Player of the Match for his 95 and 105 not out that helped set up Victoria's declaration. He was rewarded with a call up to the Australia A side to face the England Lions at the MCG starting on Saturday.

Maddinson replaces Pucovski after the he was ruled out having not yet recovered from the bizarre concussion he suffered playing for the Cricket Australia XI against the England Lions a fortnight ago.

Maddinson has made 648 runs at 92.57 in Sheffield Shield cricket this year including a double century against South Australia and his 105 not out against New South Wales. He was selected to play for Australia A earlier in the summer against Pakistan but withdrew for mental health reasons.