First-innings saviour Jake Doran has again come to Tasmania's rescue, helping steer the Tigers to a four-wicket win over Victoria at the MCG and second spot on the Sheffield Shield ladder.
After resuming at 4-151 and with 87 runs required for victory at the beginning of day four, Doran's unbeaten 47 guided Tasmania to victory at 6-241 on Sunday.
The hard-fought win, sealed midway through the second hour of the morning session, sent the Tigers past Queensland on the ladder, trailing only undefeated Western Australia.
"Very pleasing with how we played those first couple of days," Tasmania captain Jordan Silk said.
"Our senior pros in (Jackson) Bird and (Peter) Siddle really led the way from day one.
"The way they bowled throughout the game was fantastic and really set it up for our batting group.
"Particularly Jake Doran, who had a fantastic game with the bat - both innings runs on a wicket that provided some challenges for the batters."
Tasmania had cause to be anxious when Ben McDermott fell in the third over of the morning, feathering a catch to Sam Harper off Will Sutherland (4-69) after failing to add to his overnight score of 46, victory still 82 runs away.
Doran and Beau Webster (38), whose 80-run partnership in the first innings allowed the Tigers to forge a vital 99-run lead, again joined forces to frustrate the Victorian attack and usher the visitors to a position of command.
This time they combined for 68 at better than four runs an over before Webster departed in spectacular fashion with the finish line in sight.
With 14 runs required, Sutherland captured his fourth scalp when the aggressive Webster advanced down the track and tried to whip the ball over midwicket, only for his thick, leading edge to be caught brilliantly by high-leaping Fergus O'Neill in the gully.
Jarrod Freeman came in and raised the winning runs when he top-edged a pull shot off Sam Elliott for four.
Doran's undefeated knock followed his vital 85 in the first innings, while he also took seven catches with the gloves after being preferred to former Australian captain Tim Paine for wicketkeeping duties.
Ageless seamer Bird, who turns 36 in a fortnight, took 4-13 and 4-54, setting up the result on the opening day when the hosts were skittled for 121.
"We got sent in on a green monster and were there fighting at the end," Victoria coach Chris Rogers said.
"With a bit of luck we could have got even closer.
"It's a loss and that always hurts but there is a lot to take out of it.
"We've got to continue to get better and put ourselves in these positions."
