NSW are edging toward a shock outright defeat of the Sheffield Shield leader, Victoria, at the MCG.

At tea on the third day, the Blues are 3-66 in pursuit of 150 for a victory that would open up the competition even further as the season comes to its climax.

Openers Scott Henry (16) and David Dawson (22) and Nic Maddinson (17) were the batsmen out, but just 84 more runs are required.

Victoria were bowled out for 289 in their second innings on Saturday morning after conceding a 140-run lead in the first innings.

The Victorians collapsed for a second time in the match against tight bowling from the Blues.

Resuming at 4-224 with Cameron White and David Hussey having put together a century stand, that pair were dismissed for the addition of just 10 runs.

White (73) played an ill-judged cut at a straight ball from spinner Steve O’Keefe and was bowled, and in the next over Hussey (62) nicked Gurinder Sandhu to second slip where Peter Nevill took his second, blinding catch of the match, a one-hander.

It was largely a procession from there, with six Victorian wickets falling in the session for 65 runs.

O’Keefe, overlooked for the tour of India, continued his good form with his left-arm spinners, taking 3-54 from 22.4 overs.

New South Wales came into the match on the bottom of the Shield table with a new captain, Ben Rohrer, after the resignation of O’Keefe.