NSW close on win, Victoria fight back while Bulls, Warriors head for draw

Glenn Maxwell - together with Aaron Finch - lead the Victoria fightback. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Limited

The door was left slightly ajar for the home side at stumps on day three, with the Bushrangers reaching 8-353 in their second innings.

That gave them an overall lead of 128 with one day left.

SA remain in the box seat after skittling Victoria for 118 on day one.

The keys for Victoria will be spinners Fawad Ahmed and Jon Holland, while Finch said SA batsmen Michael Klinger and Phil Hughes must fall cheaply.

When Glenn Maxwell was dismissed for 82 after tea, Victoria were 6-294 and it looked as though SA would start their second innings before stumps.

Earlier, Finch top-scored with 97 as the Australian one-day and T20 representative finally made Shield runs.

Aaron Finch is dismissed just short of his century at the MCG. Source: News Limited

He faced 248 balls - the most in his first-class career.

In Tasmania, a fired-up Doug Bollinger delivered Test selectors another timely reminder with a menacing spell to help NSW back into their match against the Tigers.

Bollinger produced a masterclass of pace and swing in a post-tea blitz with Sean Abbott to destroy the Tigers' second innings for just 164.

The 32-year-old's spell came on a day speculation increased he could be a shadow paceman for the third Ashes Test in Perth, and with selector Rod Marsh having been spotted at Bellerive for the Shield match.

Sean Abbott celebrates taking the wicket of Mark Cosgrove at Bellerive. Source: News Limited

Bollinger finished with 2-39 and Abbott a career-best 4-36 but it was the veteran's superb inswinging yorker to bowl Tim Paine (1) that ensured a collapse of 7-29.

Tasmania's collapse left the Blues with a target of 255 for an unlikely outright win after they had begun the second innings trailing by 90.

The ladder-leaders were 0-43 at stumps on day three, Nic Maddinson to resume on 17 and Ryan Carters 26.

In the third Shield game, Western Australia are fighting hard in their second innings to avoid an outright defeat against Queensland after day three at the WACA Ground.

Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh walk from the field. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

Queensland took a 147-run lead on the first innings and then had WA in trouble at 2-46 in their second innings, but the Warriors knuckled down to finish the day 35 runs in front with seven wickets in hand.

Warriors captain Adam Voges (90 not out) and Shaun Marsh (32no) ensured the home side could at least hope to avoid a loss, moving the Warriors to 3-182 by the close of play.

Queensland were all out 401 after lunch.

Their lead was in large part due to former WA batsman Luke Pomersbach who starred with 159 in his first match of the season.

The 29-year-old only came in as a late replacement for the injured Greg Moller but made the most of it - his runs coming from 281 deliveries and including 21 boundaries and two sixes.

Usman Khawaja (64) and captain James Hopes (50) chipped in for the Bulls, Michael Hogan best of the WA bowlers with 3-69.

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