<
>
Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Harris stays in the runs before Short, Gotch secure victory

Seb Gotch plays to the leg side Getty Images

Victoria 282 (White 63, Meredith 4-61) and 276 for 4 (Harris 67, Gotch 66*, Short 64*) beat Tasmania 81 (Tremain 5-13) and 476 (Wade 137, Doolan 94, Silk 90, Bird 50, Siddle 4-100) by six wickets

Matthew Short and Seb Gotch produced an unbroken century stand to maintain Victoria's unbeaten start to the Sheffield Shield season as they chased down 276 after a brief wobble in the afternoon.

Jackson Bird had given Tasmania early hope when he bowled Travis Dean and had Peter Handscomb, a player on the fringes of the Test side, caught on the leg side but Marcus Harris and Cameron White then added 85 to settle the chase.

Harris, who became just the fourth batsman to cross 400 runs for the Shield season, ensured talk of a potential Test call didn't fade with 67 before falling lbw to Gabe Bell and when White went in the next over Victoria were 4 for 145 with Tasmania sniffing a chance.

But that was the last of the success for the home attack on a surface that refused to break up, as evidenced by how Tasmania battled back into the match with 476 in their second innings after being skittled for 81 on the opening day.

Short and Gotch forge a matchwinning stand of 131, Gotch striking 11 boundaries in his 66 and Short finishing the match with a six off Bird.

Victoria 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st26TJ DeanMS Harris
2nd32PSP HandscombMS Harris
3rd85CL WhiteMS Harris
4th2CL WhiteMW Short
5th131SE GotchMW Short