Victoria jumped one spot to third on the Sheffield Shield table after scoring a tense 34-run win over bottom side South Australia at the MCG on Wednesday.
Test quick Peter Siddle claimed his best first-class figures of 6-43 off 24 overs as the Redbacks resumed on 3-55 and were bowled out for 267 after tea on the third day of play.
Victoria (24) moved ahead of Tasmania (22) with two rounds remaining and still trail Queensland (30) and Western Australia (26).
Callum Ferguson (71) and Tom Cooper (62) shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 134 but both fell to Siddle shortly after lunch.
South Australia added 93 runs without loss in the pre-lunch session in an encouraging display in a match dominated by the pace bowlers on the first two days.
However Siddle struck in the second over after the interval, trapping Cooper lbw.
Cooper’s three-hour knock included nine fours and took his season’s tally to 682 runs at 48.71, trailing only Victoria’s Rob Quiney (750 at 50.00).
Ferguson failed to take responsibility for guiding the Redbacks home, playing a loose cut shot outside off stump to be caught behind after hitting eight fours from 162 deliveries.
Jayde Herrick bowled Adam Crosthwaite (16) at 6-193, before Chadd Sayers (21) and Travis Head added 55 for the seventh wicket.
Sayers was bowled by spinner Jon Holland in the 79th over and Siddle had Joe Mennie caught at first slip for a duck next over.
Andrew McDonald struck with the very first delivery with the second new ball in the 83rd over. Travis Head, 18, skied a pull shot to wicketkeeper Ryan Carters to end a brave knock of 57 in two-and-a-half hours including seven fours.
Siddle removed No.11 Peter George lbw for a duck to claim his sixth wicket.
Nineteen wickets had tumbled on Tuesday’s second day of play, when Victoria were rolled for 181.
Sayers, a 24-year-old seamer playing in his third first-class game, took 5-57.
Victoria medium-pacer McDonald (5-21) also claimed a five-wicket haul on Tuesday as South Australia collapsed for 100 in reply to Victoria’s first innings of 220.
