Victorian captain Cameron White hit an unbeaten 39 as the home side reached 4-124 at lunch on day two of their Sheffield Shield match against NSW at the MCG.

The Bushrangers had resumed on Friday at 1-22 in reply to the NSW first-innings total of 208.

White is yet to make a half-century in Shield cricket this season and his 88-ball innings is his highest score of the summer for the Bushrangers.

The skipper clubbed six fours and one six and also let many balls go outside off stump in a determined knock on a lively pitch.

Trent Copeland (2-30 off 19 overs) bowled unchanged in the opening session and claimed two wickets while debutant Chris Tremain has 2-37.

Andrew McDonald is 11 not out.

Former Test seamer Copeland found a good length and dismissed Rob Quiney (nine) and nightwatchman Jon Holland (12), caught behind in successive overs.

Aaron Finch battled hard for a 57-ball 29 before he was lbw to Tremain.

The 25-year-old Finch, dropped from Australia’s Twenty20 squad for the West Indies tour, has scored only 215 runs at an average of 17.9 in Shield cricket this season.

Fourth-placed Victoria remain hopeful of a berth in the March 16-20 final, while NSW are fifth and out of contention.