Victoria close in on victory over WA as seamers shine

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Victoria close in on victory over WA as seamers shine

Victoria are in sight of victory over Western Australia and the outright lead in the Sheffield Shield standings, despite resolute innings by Hilton Cartwright and Joel Curtis.

Seamers Fergus O’Neill (3-54) and Sam Elliott (3-38) made regular inroads at Junction Oval on Sunday to have the visitors 7-278 at stumps, a lead of just 72 runs with a day to play.

Western Australia wicketkeeper Curtis (83no) has played a defiant knock to keep his side’s faint hopes alive.

WA spinner Ashton Agar has a shoulder injury and there is a question mark over whether he will bat.

O’Neill ended Cartwright’s 166-ball vigil on 78 with a perfect cutter that tickled the outside edge.

The 23-year-old speedster, who also snared three wickets in the first innings, has proven to be a revelation for Victoria, and also starred for Australia A against India A.

Cartwright held the three-time reigning Sheffield Shield champions’ innings together with support from skipper Ashton Turner (41) and Curtis.

The visitors resumed on day three at 1-34 and were made to battle before and after rain took the players off the field either side of lunch.

Strapping allrounder Elliott hit the pitch hard and snared Sam Fanning and Jayden Goodwin in the morning session, both edging into the bucket hands of first slip Peter Handscomb.

Victoria, with vital bonus points from the match, will go top of the ladder if they can secure victory.

In four Shield matches this year Cartwright has scored 420 runs at an average of 70 in a reminder of why he played two Tests for Australia in 2017.

His defiance may not be enough to salvage anything for his side from this match, but along with Curtis he has made the Victorians ****** hard.

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