After a mixed bag of form leading up to and even in the final game of the season, Victoria are hoping to build upon their defiant draw against NSW in next week's Sheffield Shield decider.
Thanks to a remarkable six-hour innings from Cameron White, reigning champions Victoria, who started the day at 3-20, hung on to bat throughout the day and deny NSW a ticket to the final.
Chasing 269 for victory, White scored 97 not out as Victoria totalled 7-234 off 111 gruelling overs in the Alice Springs heat.
The draw means Victoria will have the opportunity to defend their title, but a failure to win in the top end means South Australia, who'll be featuring in their first final for two decades, get hosting rights at Gliderol Stadium in Glenelg.
"Everyone is looking forward to it and is excited already," said White of next weekend's final.
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"It is a good chance to have a few days off and get ready to go to Adelaide."
Victoria were clear competition leaders a month ago, but successive losses seemed set to become a hat-trick of defeats on Friday as NSW reduced the Bushrangers to 5-59 before lunch.
However White, normally known as an explosive, free-hitting batsman, proved he has another side to his game by grafting a 253-ball innings.
White enjoyed fine support from bowlers Chris Tremain, and especially Scott Boland who batted for the final two hours for 34 not out.
But White admitted he thought his side had little chance at five wickets down.
"There was a lot of time left in the day and we needed a lot of things to go right for us to hold on, but luckily we did so," he said.
"There was great support from Dan Christian, Scott Boland and Chris Tremain, and all the batsman.
"I'm pretty tired, and it was obviously pretty hard work and a hot day, but it is a nice feeling to be in a Shield final and I'm looking forward to next week."
It was an unproductive final day for NSW in which Test spinner Nathan Lyon (2-86) was unable to the run through the Vics' lower-order despite sending down 39 arduous overs.
The Blues, who only lost one game all season, will also be ruing their previous meeting with Victoria in December at the SCG which was abandoned due to unsafe conditions, with the crucial points awarded to the visiting team.
The five-day final starts on Saturday March 26.
As hosts and first-placed team South Australia need only draw the match to claim the title.
