Thais Mitch Perry and Todd Murphy won Victoria’s place in the Marsh Sheffield Shield Final with a zero-sum victory over Tasmania.
In an exciting See-See afternoon, fast bowler Perry (32no) and off-spinner Murphy (24no) put up an unbeaten 47 runs for the ninth wicket after Host 231 were set to win on a carrying Junction Oval field .
It was Murphy who sealed an unforgettable two-wicket victory with a cut to the limit in the final hour of day four after falling on a short leg from the previous Ben Manenti delivery.
“It was nervous, I will not lie “said Victoria coach Chris Rogers after the victory.
“But the fact that they went and did it in quite difficult conditions is just an incredible effort and also a big boost for our squad.
“There are two guys who actually do not confront the bowler so often in the nets, or even for their clubs, they sometimes hit No. 9 and No. 10, but we throw a lot of balls at them, they work really hard on their Batting and getting the reward is awesome for them.
The pair came together on a dangerous 8-187, which still needs 44 runs to win after Will Sutherland, James Pattinson, Sam Harper and Nic Maddinson quickly fell behind.
Knowing they needed a result to keep their season alive, the Vics turned a 21-run first deficit after skipper Peter Handscomb declared on day three in a row before shooting the Tigers for 209.
It was Tasmania who first won the promotion last morning as Jordan Silk hit back-to-back limits on third-man to push the lead over 200, giving a glorious later exit from the face of a Mitch Perry Yorker included who left. to the soul.
Debutant Manenti (23) also chipped in with two own boundaries during the morning session before Handscomb changed the momentum of the match with a sensational campaign.
First, the Victorian skipper hit a cut-off lead from Silk (42) in the slip-up of Jon Holland (2-68), his eighth catch of the game, giving him the right record for most in a single match by a non-wicketkeeper. has in the 129-year history of the Sheffield Shield.
He had nine catches five balls later as he flew over the Junction Oval Gras and introduced a set hit from Manenti, finishing his record-breaking feat with a screamer at midwicket before bowling Perry (4-31).
The 21-year-old seed had his fourth – and best first-class figure in his 14-game career – in his next game as a searing yorker was broken by the defense of Jackson Bird, who completed Tasmania’s second innings in the Victoria 231. runs to win in 82 overs.
Guest openers Travis Dean and James Seymour carried the Handscomb’s energy with them as they went out to bat and put Victoria on command with a first wicket of 74 and just 82 balls.
Dean, who came in 146 in the first innings, hit his first ball through the slide for four – and his eighth in the same region – as the Vics at 10 and over for the opening of three overs by Bird and Peter Siddle have gone.
The right-hander then tapped on a few short balls from Bird and Siddle and even used a rare reverse sweep against Manenti, while Seymour also cracked three shots on goal in a Manenti (3-89).
Bird ended the partnership just before lunch, bowling Dean for 47 (46), and as Manenti’s Seymour was caught 25 minutes after the break, Victoria lost 2-12.
The handscomb regained momentum with five boundaries in his 33 of 55 deliveries, but as he was judging the leg ahead of Siddle, Tasmania fought his way back into the competition.
Jake Fraser-McGurk (9) and Maddinson (23) both crossed boundaries just before losing their wicket, Harper (8) drove loose in a Tom Andrews (2-50) delivery and like Manenti de Pattinson (6) caught on the slide, Victoria had slipped to 7-161 in tea after winning 70 runs with just three wickets remaining.
Sutherland (14) was also out shortly after tea at Siddle (2-46), but Murphy and Perry kept the nerve for the next hour to get the visitors over the line and into the finals with a game. replace.
It is the first result at the Junction Oval in six matches since the 2018-19 final and breaks a run of three consecutive draws for Victoria ahead of that match.
When Victoria beat Western Australia at WACA next week they will host the final at Junction Oval while the season is over for Tasmania who sit fifth on the Sheffield Shield table.
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