Tasmania claimed first-innings points and a lead of 119 after bowling Victoria out for 320 after lunch on day three of their Sheffield Shield clash at the MCG on Thursday.
After resuming on 4-132 in reply to Tasmania’s first-innings total of 5-439 declared, the Bushrangers reached 7-253 at lunch and looked in danger of failing to reach the follow-on figure of 290.
However tailenders John Hastings (46) and James Pattinson (19 not out) added a valuable 54 for the ninth wicket.
Clint McKay was last man out for six as Jackson Bird claimed 4-73 while James Faulkner took 3-65.
The Bushrangers lost Matthew Wade (19), Andrew McDonald (64) and Glenn Maxwell (51) before lunch.
Wade was run out after McDonald hit the ball straight to mid-wicket and set off for a run while McDonald played a loose drive to cover off the bowling of spinner Xavier Doherty and Maxwell casually flicked a ball from James Faulkner to fine leg in the first over with the second new ball.
Bird removed Peter Siddle lbw for one in the second over after lunch but the Bushrangers dug in through the determined efforts of Hastings and Pattinson.
Hastings looked uncomfortable fending off a barrage of short balls from left-armer Faulkner and was eventually caught at short leg to make the score 9-308.
The powerfully built Hastings had thumped a ball from Doherty for six over mid-wicket to allow Victoria to ease their way to 8-294 and avoid the follow-on.
Tasmania reached 0-0 from one delivery in their second innings before rain stopped play.