Victoria not certain of win despite strong start

MELBOURNE - Victoria may have forced Queensland to follow on today but the Bushrangers remain far from certain of claiming a first Pura Cup win in five years against their chief tormentors.

The Vics last recorded an outright win over Queensland at the MCG in 1995-96 with the past 10 matches resulting in six Queensland wins and four draws.

When the Bushrangers forced Queensland to follow on, shortly before lunch on day three today, that drought looked certain to end.

However by stumps, due to a combination of a tired attack, stubborn batting and poor fielding, the Bulls had reached 1-136 in their second innings, still requiring another 64 runs to make Victoria bat again.

Queensland began its second innings trailing by 200 runs after being bowled in the first session for 184 in reply to the Vics' 9-384 declared.

Victorian skipper Paul Reiffel took three of the five wickets to fall in Queensland's first innings today after they resumed at 5-135 and then wasted little time ripping into the visitors' batting again.

In just the seventh over of the Bulls' second innings he produced a tremendous leg cutter to Jerry Cassell which the young opener spooned to Matthew Mott in the gully.

At that stage the Vics looked a chance to claim victory inside three days.

But the turning point of the day came nine overs later when Brad Hodge dropped a sitter at first slip off Ian Harvey to give Jimmy Maher a life on six with the Bulls precariously placed at 1-20.

Maher took full advantage of his luck and by stumps had reached 59 after occupying the crease for 274 minutes.

The left-handed opener received tremendous support from Martin Love, not out 68 in 247 minutes, with the pair combining for an unbroken 130 run stand as the Victorian attack began to tire.

The Bushrangers weren't helped by the failure of Damien Fleming to again bowl today due to a neck injury and the former Test paceman is unlikely to be fit for tomorrow's crucial last day.

That will leave a big burden on Reiffel, Matthew Inness, Colin Miller and Harvey, who have already been in the field for 165 overs.

But the Vics will be boosted by the knowledge that if they can get through the top order in reasonable time tomorrow, the Bulls' tail is unlikely to offer much resistance given its performance this morning when the visitors lost four wickets inside the first 45 minutes.