O'Neill bags five but late Victoria collapse in the gloom keeps NSW in touch
Key Takeaways
- Fergus O'Neill took 5 wickets for 26 runs, bolstering his Ashes selection case, while Scott Boland took 3 wickets as NSW was bowled out for 163.
- Victoria established a 77-run first-innings lead and pushed it to 149 for 1 before experiencing a late batting collapse.
- Liam Hatcher claimed three late wickets, contributing to Victoria losing 4 wickets for 21 runs near the close of play.
- Bad light stopped play with 45 minutes remaining, with Victoria leading by 170 runs and five wickets in hand.
- O'Neill achieved his eighth first-class five-wicket haul, and NSW's Gilkes was the top scorer with 41.
Victoria established a strong position against New South Wales in their Sheffield Shield match, primarily due to the bowling efforts of Fergus O'Neill, who claimed his eighth first-class five-wicket haul (5-26), and Scott Boland (3-59), who dismissed NSW for 163. This gave Victoria a 77-run first-innings lead, which they aggressively pushed to 149 for the loss of only one wicket, with Campbell Kellaway batting well. However, under gloomy skies, Victoria suffered a significant late collapse, losing four wickets for just 21 runs, including key batsmen like Marcus Harris and Kellaway. Liam Hatcher took three late wickets, and play was eventually halted by bad light with Victoria leading by 170 runs and five wickets remaining. O'Neill also had a hand in a dropped catch that allowed Ollie Davies a reprieve before he was eventually dismissed.
