Victoria’s dominance in the Sheffield Shield continued as they crushed Western Australia by eight wickets at Junction Oval. Despite a rare hat-trick from WA spinner Corey Rocchiccioli, Victoria chased down the modest target of 120 with ease.
Marcus Harris and Peter Handscomb led the charge for Victoria, putting on an unbroken 103-run partnership for the third wicket. Rocchiccioli’s hat-trick had given WA a glimmer of hope, but Handscomb’s aggressive approach and Harris’s steady support ensured a comfortable victory.
Earlier, WA had been dismissed for 325 before lunch. Joel Curtis’s unbeaten 119 was the highlight of their innings, while Sam Elliott claimed four wickets for Victoria.
In the first innings, Victoria had posted a formidable 373, with Will Rogers, Matt Crone, and Handscomb all contributing half-centuries. WA’s bowlers struggled to contain Victoria’s batting lineup, with Fergus O’Neill and Todd Murphy taking six and four wickets respectively.
Rocchiccioli’s hat-trick was a rare moment of brilliance for WA. He became the first WA bowler to achieve the feat in Shield cricket and only the second in the competition’s history. However, it was not enough to prevent Victoria from securing a convincing victory.
Victoria’s win extends their unbeaten streak in the Shield to four matches. They now sit atop the standings with 22 points, while WA remains in fifth place with 10 points.
