Victoria are in a commanding position at stumps on day one of their Sheffield Shield day-night clash with Tasmania at the MCG.
After the Tigers were bundled out for 206 late on Monday, Bushrangers openers Rob Quiney (37) and debutant Dean Russ (18) negotiated the final 22 overs of the day with little incident to guide their team to 0-56.
With 10 wickets in hand, the bottom-placed Vics need another 151 runs to claim competition points for only the third time this season.
The Tigers were cruising just after lunch at 1-114, but lost 9-92 as spinner Fawad Ahmed (4-49) and second-gamer Jake Reed (2-42) led the Bushrangers’ resurgence in the first Shield match to be played under lights at the MCG in 17 years.
Ahmed, who was on a hat-trick at one stage, claimed the key wickets of Steve Cazzulino (26) and Ben Dunk (27) before dismissing tailenders Xavier Doherty and Sam Rainbird for ducks.
Earlier, Reed put the hosts back in the contest when he first ran out the menacing Mark Cosgrove (55) before dismissing Ed Cowan (45) lbw and Jon Wells (5) caught behind by Matthew Wade.
John Hastings (2-37) was Victoria’s other multiple wicket-taker.
The Tigers benefited from a solid opening partnership between Cosgrove and the typically circumspect Cowan that yielded 82 runs.
But just as Cosgrove looked set for a big score, having cracked eight boundaries and a down-the-ground six off David Hussey (0-21), he was forced to depart when he was caught well short of his crease after being left stranded mid-pitch following a terrible mix up with Cowan.
Cowan came out after lunch in a more attacking mindset, hitting three of his five boundaries in the space of six balls, but he was undone by Reed’s outstanding use of pace shortly after to be the quick’s first Shield scalp.
Victoria haven’t won a Shield match at the MCG in more than a year and are still searching for their first four-day triumph since November.
The Tigers need an outright victory to keep alive their remote chances of playing in this season’s final.
In a Sheffield Shield first, pink balls are being used in all three day-night matches taking place around the country this week.