Rogers ton boosts Victoria's hopes

Victoria 3 for 288 (Rogers 112, Quiney 69) trail Western Australia 421 by 133 runs
Scorecard

Victoria significantly boosted their chances of claiming the Sheffield Shield title by batting through day three in Hobart, where play was shortened due to bad light and rain. Chris Rogers scored a century in what is likely to be his last first-class match in Australia, and critically for Western Australia only three wickets fell throughout the day.

As the home team, Victoria would be comfortable with a draw, which would give them the title, and they were in no hurry to move the score along too quickly on the third day. Western Australia now have two days in which to claim the remaining seven wickets of Victoria's first innings, bat again to build a lead, and then skittle the Bushrangers a second time.

Victoria started the day at 0 for 135 and the openers added a further 50 before the first wicket fell, that of Rogers, who was lbw trying to sweep Ashton Agar for 112. It was the 72nd first-class hundred for Rogers, who has indicated he is likely to retire after this year's Ashes tour, at least from cricket in Australia, and his efforts have increased the chances of him going out a Shield winner.

His opening partner Rob Quiney followed soon afterwards, caught at short midwicket off Nathan Coulter-Nile for 69, and David Hussey made 33 before he was lbw to Simon Mackin. However, Western Australia missed a golden opportunity to get rid of Marcus Stoinis, who on 21 was put down at short midwicket by Marcus Harris off the bowling of Andrew Tye.

Rain and then bad light cut into play in the final session of the day, and Victoria went to stumps on 3 for 288, with Stoinis on 43 and Peter Handscomb on 16. They trailed Western Australia by 133 runs, but wickets were the key factor for the Warriors.