Captain Cameron White believes Victoria are primed for a late assault on the Sheffield Shield after crushing South Australia in Adelaide.
The Bushrangers, with many second-stringers, sealed a 186-run triumph over the hapless Redbacks on Sunday to rise to third on the ladder.
While White was bullish about his side’s prospects, SA captain Michael Klinger challenged his chronic underachievers to improve.
The Redbacks haven’t won a Shield game since November 2010.
And with just two points this season, they’re headed for a third consecutive wooden spoon.
“The selectors are picking young blokes so sometimes we have to expect these sort of results, but there is no excuse for it,” Klinger said after SA, chasing 445 to win, were bowled out for 258 before tea on Sunday’s final day.
“The guys in the team, and I’m one of them, should be performing as well as can be every time … we still have some senior guys in the team who need to be putting their hand up a little bit more.”
Victoria were missing frontliners including Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Clint McKay, David Hussey, Aaron Finch and Matthew Wade.
But they still smashed the South Australians on the back of centuries in each innings from opener Rob Quiney.
The powerful left-hander’s case for Australian selection is compelling: he has more Shield runs than anyone, is third highest one-day scorer, and was the sixth most prolific batsman in the Big Bash League.
“He’s ready, get him in there,” White said of Quiney and national honours.
White said Victoria, with 18 points and another Shield game against the lowly Redbacks to come, were positioning to challenge second-placed Western Australia (20 points) for a spot in the final against pacesetters Queensland (30 points).
White’s lean trot continued with the bat with scores of three and 18 but on Sunday he produced the game-breaking moment.
The skipper took a stunning slips catch to dismiss SA strokeplayer Callum Ferguson (79) – diving full stretch to his right and horizontal to the ground, White plucked a one-hander.
Ferguson’s departure ended a threatening 132-run partnership with Tom Cooper, who top-scored with 93.
Cooper’s polished knock finished when caught and bowled by spinner Jon Holland, who proceeded to clean up SA’s tail and finish with 4-74.