Image: Victoria crushed New South Wales by a massive 300 runs / © ESPNcricinfo
Being the final day of the match, day three started with Victoria already in a strong position. They had resumed their second innings at 56 for 2 after 24 overs, with Marcus Harris on 17 and Todd Murphy on 3. New South Wales needed quick wickets to stay in the game, but Victoria’s lower order had other plans. They wanted to pile on runs fast and set a huge target before declaring.
Sean Abbott struck early for NSW. In the 25th over, he trapped Todd Murphy in front for 4, leaving Victoria at 63 for 3. Just two balls later, Abbott clean-bowled Peter Handscomb for a two-ball duck. The score was now 63 for 4, and NSW sniffed a chance to roll through the middle order. Oliver Peake didn’t last long either. Abbott swung one back in the 27th over and was knocked over his stumps for just 1. Victoria had slipped to 65 for 5, losing three wickets for two runs in quick time.
Josh Hazlewood then got into the act. In the 34th over, he had Sam Harper caught by Abbott at slip for 6. Victoria were 83 for 6 and in danger of folding under 150. But Fergus O’Neill and Marcus Harris steadied things for a while. Harris, who had been patient all morning, kept nudging the ball around while O’Neill played a few confident strokes. They added 34 runs for the seventh wicket before Nathan Lyon broke through in the 46th over. O’Neill tried to defend but got a thick edge to Steven Smith at slip for 24. Victoria were 117 for 7.
Harris kept fighting. He reached his fifty off 138 balls, showing great concentration under pressure. Will Sutherland joined him and looked positive from the start. The pair added 40 runs for the eighth wicket, with Sutherland playing some crisp drives. But Lyon struck again in the 58th over. Harris tried to cut a short ball but only managed to lob it to the substitute fielder, Ryan Hadley at point. He walked back for 58, having faced 143 balls with four boundaries. Victoria was now 157 for 8.
Sutherland wasn’t done yet. He continued to attack, hitting a couple of boundaries off Jack Edwards. But in the 63rd over, Edwards got one to nip back and trapped him lbw for 27. Victoria declared immediately at 171 for 9, setting NSW a massive target of 426 runs to win in roughly two sessions plus a bit more.
The NSW bowlers had worked hard. Abbott was the star with 4 for 18 in 9 overs, swinging the ball both ways and picking up crucial wickets. Lyon took 2 for 52 in 22 overs, keeping things tight and chipping away. Hazlewood got 2 for 22, Starc 1 for 48, and Edwards 1 for 20. Steven Smith even bowled two overs for just 4 runs, but the damage was limited. Victoria had added 115 runs in 39.3 overs on the third morning, losing seven wickets in the process. It wasn’t a big total, but on a wearing pitch, 426 looked miles away for NSW, especially after their first-innings collapse.
The declaration left NSW needing to bat out around 65 overs to save the game or chase an improbable target. But Victoria’s bowlers were fresh and hungry. Scott Boland and Fergus O’Neill opened the attack, and they didn’t give NSW any breathing space.
O’Neill struck in the second over. Ryan Hicks shouldered arms to a straight one and was plumb lbw for 2. NSW were 6 for 1. Boland then got into rhythm. In the sixth over, he angled one into Kurtis Patterson, who missed the defensive push and was trapped lbw for 7. NSW had lost two early wickets for just 23 runs.
Sam Konstas and Steven Smith tried to rebuild. Konstas looked confident, driving Boland through cover for four. But Sam Elliott, who had bowled so well in the first innings, came on and changed the game again. In the 15th over, he got one to seam away from Konstas, who played down the wrong line and was lbw for 27. NSW were 43 for 3, and the writing was on the wall.
Will Sutherland replaced Elliott and struck almost immediately. In the 18th over, he clean-bowled Oliver Davies for 5 with a full, fast delivery that crashed into the middle stump. NSW were now 58 for 4. Smith was still there, batting calmly, but he had little support. Josh Philippe joined him and tried to hang in, but O’Neill returned and trapped him lbw for 5 in the 27th over. NSW slipped to 91 for 5.
Jack Edwards showed some fight. He drove Elliott through cover and pulled Sutherland for four. But Elliott wasn’t to be denied. In the 33rd over, he got one to lift and take the edge, with Sutherland taking a sharp catch at second slip. Edwards was gone for 13, and NSW were 111 for 6.
Mitchell Starc walked in and tried to counter-attack. He smashed Sutherland for a six over midwicket, but two balls later, he top-edged a pull straight to Boland at mid-on. Starc went for 6, NSW 124 for 7. Nathan Lyon came in next but didn’t last long. Elliott bowled a beautiful outswinger in the 39th over, and Lyon played all around it, lbw for 0. NSW were 125 for 8.
Sean Abbott and Josh Hazlewood were both absent after picking up hamstring injuries earlier in the day. That meant NSW were effectively two batsmen short. Steven Smith was left stranded on 56 not out, having faced 98 balls with five boundaries. He had batted sensibly, leaving well and picking off bad balls, but with no one left to support him, the innings ended quickly.
Elliott finished with 3 for 24 in 9.4 overs, swinging the ball late and picking up key wickets. O’Neill took 2 for 22, Boland 1 for 24, and Sutherland 2 for 37. Todd Murphy bowled four overs for 14 runs but didn’t pick up a wicket. Victoria’s bowlers had hunted in packs, giving NSW no chance to settle.
NSW were all out for 125 in just 39.4 overs, handing Victoria a massive 300-run victory. It was their fourth win in four matches, keeping them unbeaten and at the top of the Sheffield Shield table. Peter Handscomb was named Player of the Match for his gritty 104 in the first innings, which had set the foundation for Victoria’s dominance.
The day belonged to Victoria’s bowlers, especially Sam Elliott, who took eight wickets across both innings. NSW’s batting collapsed twice, and despite Smith’s lone hand, they never looked like saving the game. Victoria had batted just enough in the second innings, declared boldly, and then demolished NSW with disciplined, aggressive bowling. It was a clinical performance from start to finish.
When the final day began, New South Wales needed a miracle to chase 426, but Victoria’s Sam Elliott delivered the magic moment that sealed their fate. The 23-year-old seamer, bowling with fire and precision, ripped through the top order and never let up. He started with Sam Konstas, trapping the opener lbw for 27 off 46 balls after a gritty stand. Then came Jack Edwards, caught by Will Sutherland for 13, and the killer blow, Nathan Lyon plumb lbw for a two-ball duck at 39.4 overs.
Elliott finished with stunning figures of 3-24 in 9.4 overs, swinging the ball late and hitting the pads with deadly accuracy. His triple strike turned a tense chase into a collapse, ending NSW at 125 all out. Steven Smith’s unbeaten 56 was brave but lonely. Elliott’s spell wasn’t just the best bowling of the match. It was the heartbeat of Victoria’s victory, a raw, relentless display that left the SCG stunned and earned him TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game.
Being the lone warrior for the New South Wales batting line-up, Steve Smith stood tall in their second innings while chasing a massive 426-run target. With his team crumbling early, Smith carried the bat unbeaten on 56 runs off 98 balls, striking at 57.14 with a calm and composed display. His knock included just one boundary, showing his mastery in rotating the strike and holding the innings together amid constant wickets falling at the other end. The collapse started as early as the second over when Ryan Hicks was trapped lbw for 2.
Kurtis Patterson followed soon for 7, and young Sam Konstas fought hard for 27 before getting out lbw. Oliver Davies managed 5, Josh Philippe 5, and Jack Edwards 13. None could convert starts. Mitchell Starc hit a quick 6, but Nathan Lyon fell for a duck, leaving NSW all out for 125 in 39.4 overs. Smith’s unbeaten 56 was more than just runs as it was a lesson in resilience. Facing a disciplined Victorian attack led by Sam Elliott (3-24) and Fergus O’Neill (2-22), he absorbed pressure while others faltered. For his grit, determination, and lone fight, Steve Smith is TCNI’s Hero of the Day.