Victoria 222 (Harper 93, Meredith 4-53, Bird 3-46) and 193 (Handscomb 47, Webster 3-25, Bell 3-40) beat Tasmania 91 (Elliott 3-22, O'Neill 3-17) and 254 (Ward 66, Perry 5-45, O'Neill 3-61) by 70 runs

Tasmania's hopes of returning to the Sheffield Shield final are effectively over after they collapsed to a 70-run defeat to ladder-leaders Victoria.

Chasing 325 for a fourth-innings victory on Saturday, the hosts fell from from 170 for 2 to be all out for 254 in Hobart. Mitchell Perry was the chief destroyer for Victoria, taking 5 for 45, while Fergus O'Neill finished with 3 for 61.

With Victoria having already wrapped up a home final, Tasmania are now likely too far behind South Australia and Queensland to finish in the top two.

Tasmania had appeared some chance of pulling off the chase early on, with Tim Ward in good touch and 155 runs needed with eight wickets in hand. The left-hander looked strong on the drive, while he also pulled O'Neill for a six.

But the match swung when Will Sutherland had Charlie Wakim caught at first slip for 32, kicking off a collapse of 6 for 36.

Ward also guided O'Neill to Peter Handscomb at second slip three overs later, killing off any ascendancy Tasmania had claimed in the first session.

Perry then ensured there would be no fightback, disposing of Jordan Silk and Jake Doran in the same over, as all of Tasmania's first six dismissals came behind the wicket.

And while Beau Webster put on a 34-run ninth-wicket stand alongside Riley Meredith, the resistance proved brief.

A target of 325 had always appeared difficult given the hosts made 91 in their first innings and Victoria scored only 222 and 193.