Centurion Peter Handscomb is expecting an "absolute grind" in the field as his team pursues 10 fourth-day wickets in the Sheffield Shield clash with South Australia at Karen Rolton Oval.
Handscomb, last summer's leading Shield run-scorer with 697 at 49.78, has started the new campaign strongly, stroking a wonderful 132 before declaring Victoria's innings closed at 7-344 inside the last hour on Saturday.
The Redbacks, set a victory target of 425, survived a testing 12-over spell with all wickets intact, reaching 0-38 at stumps and requiring a further 387 runs to pull off an unlikely win.
"It's going to be a grind tomorrow - an absolute grind," Handscomb said.
"It's definitely flattened out. Day one was really hard and since then it's gotten flatter and flatter.
"It's going to be pretty simple cricket - be patient and hope we can bowl 10 good balls.
"If that means we get it done in the last over, we get it done in the last over.
"Hoping tomorrow it starts to play a few tricks and maybe a few divots come into play."
Jake Weatherald, sent packing second ball of SA's first innings, batted positively in the evening session, reaching 28 off 38 balls, while opening partner Henry Hunt will resume on nine.
After earning a 90-run first-innings lead, Victoria's assault on the Redbacks' attack in the second dig was underpinned by Handscomb's 18th first-class ton.
"I feel good, the set-up feels good and I'm trying to continue on from last year," said Handscomb, pressing his claims for higher honours, having played the last of his 16 Tests almost four years ago against India.
"You can have one good season but you've got to be able to back it up again and really force your hand for (Test) selection."
The Victoria captain crunched 14 fours and a six in his classy knock before holing out to a superb catch in the deep from Jake Lehmann while chasing quick runs.
Handscomb received tremendous middle-order support throughout the day from first-innings centurion Will Sutherland (40), wicketkeeper Sam Harper (37) and ex-Test batter Nic Maddinson (30).
Seamer Jordan Buckingham (4-78), playing just his second Shield match, was the pick of the SA bowlers, who aren't planning to park the bus just yet.
"We know it's going to be a challenge and hard work but we've got to have a positive attitude towards it," Redbacks coach Jason Gillespie said.
"We're here to win games of cricket and we'll do everything we can to try to win.
"If it gets to a point where we can't, then we'll do everything we can to save the game."
