NSW in control vs Vics amid Shield drama

NSW have made a strong start to their run chase in a Sheffield Shield match where a combination of injury and illness have forced Victoria to field 14 players.

The Vics called on debutant Jack Prestwidge as an emergency substitute after second-gamer Sam Elliott was ruled out under concussion rules late on day three.

Elliott was hit in the helmet grill at Junction Oval on Saturday and carried on, but asked for painkillers about an hour later and was retired by umpires to undergo a concussion assessment.

He protested with Cricket Australia's doctor before failing the test.

Victoria had already lost Sam Harper and Jon Holland because of positive COVID-19 results the previous day and did not have time to find a replacement for tail-ender Elliott before losing their ninth and ultimately final wicket.

It brought their second innings to a close at 9-283, leaving NSW a target of 233 runs to win.

The Blues were 1-58 at stumps with Daniel Hughes (31 not out) and Jason Sangha (16no) at the crease.

Off-spinner Todd Murphy (1-22) made the only breakthrough for Victoria when he trapped NSW captain Kurtis Patterson (7) lbw, and had another big shout against Sangha turned down.

Sangha rubbed salt in the wound when he whacked the next ball to the boundary.

Prestwidge was hastily presented with his Victoria cap before entering the fray for his maiden first-class appearance in the fourth innings of the match.

He had made a late dash to the ground from the other side of Melbourne, where he had been on club cricket duties.

Victoria had second-gamer Campbell Kellaway to thank for pushing their lead beyond 200.

The 20-year-old scored a team-high 81, including 13 boundaries, in an impressive batting display after the Vics' top order crumbled.

Chris Tremain (2-50), Mickey Edwards (2-56), Chris Green (2-27) and Moises Henriques (2-29) all claimed multiple wickets for NSW.

Victoria began day three at 1-78 but lost five wickets in the opening session.

Tremain struck twice in a double-wicket maiden before lunch, removing Matt Short (one) and Will Sutherland (duck).

He cashed in on the damage done by Green in the previous over as Victoria lost 3-1 in a short period.

Green trapped Nic Maddinson lbw after the left-hander smashed a quickfire 40 off 39 balls, including five boundaries and two sixes.

Henriques (97) steered NSW to a first-innings lead of 51 on day two but fell short of a century when he was trapped lbw by Murphy.

It is the first game for the last-placed Blues under caretaker coach Greg Shipperd, after Phil Jaques was axed earlier in the week.