Victoria looking to bat South Australia out of Pura clash

After a predictably disappointing batting collapse in the first innings, Victoria regained the momentum through great bowling and solid batting on the second day of its Pura Cup match against South Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Having claimed first innings points earlier in the day, the Bushrangers are now well in contention for an outright victory that will see them escape the bottom of the domestic ladder.

Jason Arnberger (56) and Matthew Mott (71*) did exactly what their team needed them to do in the final session, building up a century stand from 159 balls in just over four hours. After the early loss of Shawn Craig (5 off seventeen balls) with the score on 12, the pair steadied the side, adding 109 runs before Arnberger was dismissed.

Arnberger, who struck four boundaries and lasted 143 deliveries, will be disappointed with the way he was dismissed, cutting Ben Johnson straight to point. He did have room for a six in his patient knock however, hooking Brett Swain approximately twelve rows back into bottom of the Great Southern Stand.

Mott also attacked the bowling at every opportunity, striking seven fours in his first Pura Cup fifty of the season. Having worked at a few starts this summer only to be dismissed before really establishing a good score (he has 12, 22, 31, 19 and 18 in firstclass innings), Mott must have been happy with his unbeaten seventy-one. The fact that Victoria did not need to score quickly today suited Mott's style and he will be looking to continue the fine work tomorrow.

After being worn down by the home team's resolve today, the South Australian bowlers will be desperate for an early breakthrough in the morning. Captain Darren Lehmann tried eight bowlers in the final session, but only one wicket fell. The Redbacks will be hoping Paul Wilson (0/28), who claimed four Victorian batsmen in the first innings, will be fit to start tomorrow, after having to come off the field in the second last over of the day because of a leg injury.

With first innings' century maker Brad Hodge (3*) at the crease, and their lead already up to 273 runs with eight wickets in hand, Victoria will be keen to score quickly in the first couple of sessions tomorrow before allowing themselves just over a day to bowl out the Redbacks.

Dismissing the Victorians will only be the start of the hard work for the visitors, who were routed for just 96 in their first innings earlier today. The total was South Australia's lowest against Victoria since scoring 84 in the 1996-97 season, and a mere twenty-eight runs greater than their all-time Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup low, achieved in the summer of 1931-32.

Twenty-two year old Mathew Inness was the star of the Bushrangers' attack, returning career-best figures of 6/26 for the second time in five days. Inness, who surprised the West Indies with his burst on Sunday, snared the key wickets of Greg Blewett (1) and Lehmann (0) with his first two balls.

He was aided in his efforts by captain Paul Reiffel (1/28) and Colin Miller (1/13), while Damien Fleming (0/27) went wicketless.