New South Wales 225 (Patterson 55, Tremain 4-22, Boland 3-51) and 1 for 39 need another 352 runs to beat Victoria 6 for 510 dec and 2 for 105 dec (Harris 62*)
Scorecard

Chris Tremain and Scott Boland led a strong Victorian bowling display on the third day at the SCG, which left New South Wales with an enormous final-day task to avoid defeat. Test aspirant Kurtis Patterson top scored in the first New South Wales innings with 55, but neither Nic Maddinson nor Peter Nevill made significant batting contributions, and by stumps David Warner had fallen cheaply for the second time in the match.

Another concern for Australia's selectors ahead of naming their Test squad on Sunday was the continued wicket drought of Nathan Lyon, who picked up 0 for 32 from seven overs in Victoria's second innings and finished with match figures of 0 for 173. Having also gone wicketless in Australia's past two Test innings, Lyon has now bowled 582 first-class deliveries since he last made a breakthrough.

The Blues resumed on 2 for 95 in their first innings and quickly lost opener Daniel Hughes, who failed to add to his overnight score and was bowled by Jon Holland for 42. Patterson reached his half-century but fell soon afterwards, bowled by Holland for 55, and Tremain then caused middle-order problems by bowling Maddinson for 6 and trapping Moises Henriques lbw for 2.

Nevill, under some pressure to hold his place in the Test side, batted 61 balls for his 26 before he was bowled by Daniel Christian. Tremain finished with the outstanding figures of 4 for 22 from 18 overs and Boland picked up 3 for 51 as New South Wales were bowled out for 225. Victoria's captain Matthew Wade did not enforce the follow-on despite holding a 285-run first-innings advantage.

The Victorians added a quick 105 for the loss of two wickets - Steve O'Keefe claimed them both, and Marcus Harris finished on 62 not out - before Wade declared and set New South Wales 391 for victory. Tremain bowled David Warner late in the day for 20 and then struck Lyon, sent in as nightwatchman, on the arm in the final over. The Blues finished at 1 for 39, with Lyon on 2 and Hughes on 17.