Will Sheridan has taken two early wickets to put Victoria in a good position at lunch on day one of their last-round Sheffield Shield clash with NSW at the MCG on Thursday.
The Blues, who chose to bat first in overcast conditions, are 2-65 with Usman Khawaja on 15 and Steven Smith nine not out.
Fourth-placed Victoria remain hopeful of a berth in next week’s final, while the Blues are fifth and out of contention.
Sheridan struck with his first ball of the day when Phil Hughes was lbw for 22 at 1-40 and in his third over Sheridan removed Nic Maddinson caught behind for 19.
Victoria had dropped Ryan Carters after his fumble on Peter Siddle’s hat-trick ball during last week’s Shield match in Perth against Western Australia.
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.
Left-armer Sheridan, who was the fifth bowler used on Thursday, is in career-best form after claiming 5-15 in Western Australia’s second innings in Perth last week.