Victoria win Sheffield Shield title
AAP
Victoria have won their 29th Sheffield Shield crown.
The Bushrangers on Wednesday secured the series after their five-day final against Western Australia at Bellerive Oval ended in a lacklustre draw.
Victoria’s points standing from the season handed them the top prize, despite finishing on 4-158, trailing WA by 175 runs.
• Rodney Hogg: India to put Aussies in a spin
• Ghosts of Eden Park hard to shift: de Villiers
It was a patient effort by the Warriors as they attempted to bowl themselves to victory, but Victoria’s steadfast batsmen held their ground.
At one point in the final session, eight overs passed without score.
Opener Rob Quiney (53) made a half century.
Fellow opener Chris Rogers (17) was gone before lunch and Marcus Stoinis (8) and Peter Handscomb (13) went cheaply.
David Hussey (37no) and skipper Matthew Wade (9no) finished unbeaten.
Earlier in the day, WA declared at 2-293.
It gave them a 333-run lead, thanks in big part to a hefty century from opener Marcus Harris (158no) who notched up his highest first-class score.
It was one of a few shining performances during the Hobart decider, including a first-innings century from WA skipper Adam Voges, who is also the competition’s top run-scorer and player of the year.
Voges’ sixth century for the season pushes his case for Test selection ahead of Australia’s mid-year tours of the West Indies and England.
For WA, Test opener Rogers added 112 to the first-innings total, showing – at age 37 – he still has what it takes.
And Warriors spinner Fawad Ahmed ended with the best bowling figures for a Shield final, taking 8-89 during WA’s first innings.
As selectors look to take two spinners on tour, the Pakistan-born specialist is sure to come into consideration.