Tigers, Vics battle for Shield final berth

A spot in the Sheffield Shield final against Queensland goes on the line when Tasmania hosts Victoria from Wednesday.

Tom Rogers

Paceman Tom Rogers is aiming to lift Tasmania into their first Sheffield Shield final in five years. (AAP)

Tasmania are hoping to be Sheffield Shield spoilers and carve history of their own when they battle Victoria for a place in this year's final.

The winner of the Bellerive Oval clash, beginning on Wednesday, will go through to the final against Queensland from March 23.

Victoria are chasing their fourth-straight first-class title, while Tasmania are aiming to make their first final since success in 2012-13.

"It's pretty proven that they (Victoria) have been the best for several years now,'' rookie Tigers allrounder Tom Rogers said on Tuesday.

"They have some exceptional players and guys who have played a lot of cricket at both the international and domestic level.

"(Chris) Tremain and (Scott) Boland work really well together and then they've got their spinners and Maxy (Glenn Maxwell) with the bat."

Seamers Tremain (43 wickets) and Boland (36) have 79 scalps between them for the season to sit first and second respectively for overall Shield wickets.

Rogers though is nipping at their heels in a breakthrough season.

The 24-year-old ACT recruit is third overall with 33 wickets at an average of 17.30, plus a handy 19.20 with the bat.

Rogers' ninth first-class match is his biggest yet.

"There is going to be nerves and excitement, but I think that is something to welcome," he said.

The Tigers have added batsman Ben McDermott and medium-pacer Hamish Kingston to the squad that beat South Australia by 16 runs in a nail-biter last week.

For the Bushrangers, Eamonn Vines replaces Will Pucovski, who was subbed out of the NSW game because of concussion.

Captain Aaron Finch said he's carrying the confidence of strong limited-overs performances against New Zealand and England.

"I feel really calm and really relaxed. I used to get caught up in the numbers and getting hundreds," he told RSN Breakfast Club.

"Since then I've understood it's a game of cricket ... enjoy the ride."

Just 0.18 points separates Tasmanian and Victoria on the ladder.

Queensland, meanwhile, are more than eight points clear atop the table and can secure a home final with a win over New South Wales at Wollongong's North Dalton Park.

Even if they don't win, the Bulls are in the box seat to host the decider.

They are boosted by the return of top-order batsman Joe Burns from a groin injury suffered during the Big Bash League in January.

'When I first did it, we probably thought my season was over," he told reporters.

"We've played some really good cricket all year, it's just a matter of maintaining what we're doing."

Matthew Renshaw has hit centuries in his last three Shield games, after being dropped from the Test side at the beginning of the summer.

Last-placed South Australia and fifth-placed Western Australia meet at Glenelg in Adelaide where injury-riddled WA quick Joel Paris will play his first Sheffield Shield match in more than two years.


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Source: AAP



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