Chris Tremain and his Victorian Bushrangers teammates find themselves winless at the foot of the Sheffield Shield ladder, despite Glenn Maxwell’s heroics against New South Wales.
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Maxwell made a brilliant and well-publicised 278 against the Blues in the Shield match which finished on Monday.
But despite that effort, and the toiling of Yeoval product Tremain with the ball, the Bushrangers couldn’t knock over a dogged Blues batting lineup on the final day and were forced to settle for a draw.
Tremain belted 45 not out in the first innings to help Victoria post a mammoth 9 dec/562 and he then claimed 2/30 from 11 overs as NSW was bowled out for 243.
Spinner Job Holland was a standout with 5/67 in that innings.
Victoria made 3 dec/148 in its second dig and then all the pressure was on the Blues.
Former Macquarie Valley quick Tremain was at his economical best again, taking 2/47 from 18 overs, and picked up the key wicket of Kurtis Patterson, who made 61 from 135 balls.
Despite plenty of tension late in the final day, the the Blues hung on and finished at 8/256 to avoid an outright loss.
The Blues team featured Cowra junior Daniel Hughes, who made 44 and 21 opening the batting, and also Bathurst product Trent Copeland, who finished the match with two wickets.
Copeland’s main input, however, came with the bat as he made just 5 from 62 balls late on the final day to help his side salvage the draw.
Shield champions for the past three summers, Victoria are the only one of the six teams still to win a game this season.
"Obviously the position we've put ourselves in isn't ideal," captain Aaron Finch said.
"Losing our first game against Queensland and then three draws it has been very tough.
"But we're starting to play some really good cricket and that hasn't been reflected in the ladder at this stage.
"But our time will come, things will swing our way and go right for us."
The positive for Tremain coming out of the match is he is the joint leading wicket-taker in the Sheffield Shield.
Despite the Bushrangers struggles so far, Tremain and Victorian teammate Scott Boland both have 19 wickets and sit on top, one ahead of Tasmanian Jackson Bird.
Victoria host WA at the MCG in the final pre-Christmas Shield round starting next Sunday.
The Bushrangers trail ladder leaders NSW by over 14 points.
"You want to keep them as low down the ladder as possible for as long as you can during the season," NSW captain Moises Henriques said.