Test opener Chris Rogers took two painstaking hours to reach 13 not out on Wednesday in Victoria’s tally of 2-59 at lunch in their Sheffield Shield clash with NSW.
In-form batsman Cameron White, after hitting two half-centuries in last week’s drawn round-one game against Western Australia, is unbeaten on 26 from 58 balls including five boundaries.
Rogers is yet to hit a four from 86 deliveries faced in sunny conditions at the MCG.
Victorian captain Matthew Wade chose to bat first on a dry-looking pitch and NSW quick Doug Bollinger struck in the third over as Rob Quiney (six) fell caught at first slip.
Peter Handscomb (nine) was caught and bowled by Gurinder Sandhu after top-edging a pull shot with the total on 25. The miserly medium-pacer Sandhu has taken 1-6 off 11 overs.
NSW offie Nathan Lyon, who’s facing a battle from Victoria’s leggie Fawad Ahmed for the spinner’s role in Australia’s first Test team to play England in Brisbane from November 21, has 0-12 from seven overs.