Two wickets in two balls from Andrew McDonald helped Victoria take the upper hand at tea on day one of their last-round Sheffield Shield clash with NSW.

The Blues, who chose to bat first on a lively MCG pitch in overcast conditions, were 5-154 at the break on Thursday with Steven Smith unbeaten on 73 and David Dawson four not out.

Smith has struck 12 boundaries from 113 deliveries in a delightful attacking knock on a pitch that is offering assistance to the quick bowlers.

Victoria are desperate for six points as the fourth-placed Bushrangers remain hopeful of a berth in next week’s final, while the Blues are fifth and out of contention.

Former Test allrounder McDonald has taken 2-8 from 14 overs in a typically economical performance.

Left-arm paceman Will Sheridan (2-43) struck in his first over to remove Phil Hughes lbw for 22 to make it 1-40 and also removed Nic Maddinson caught behind for 19 in his third over.

Victoria had dropped Ryan Carters after his fumble on Peter Siddle’s hat-trick ball during last week’s Shield match in Perth.

The Bushrangers handed the gloves to middle-order batsman and occasional wicketkeeper Peter Handscomb. But the 20-year-old made a poor start on Thursday, grassing a regulation chance off Jayde Herrick’s bowling with Hughes on 10.

However, Handscomb made no mistake when Maddinson fended at a wide ball from Sheridan, who’s in career-best form after claiming 5-15 in Western Australia’s second innings.

Herrick found the edge of Usman Khawaja’s bat and Handscomb took a second neat catch to dismiss the former Test No.3 for 20 after lunch with the score on 78.

Smith and Ben Rohrer (15) added 59 for the fourth wicket before medium-pacer McDonald hit Rohrer on the pads, then had Peter Nevill caught at first slip next ball.