Five days.
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That’s what’s separating 2008-09 Orange District Cricket Association player of the year Chris Tremain from a fourth successive Sheffield Shield title, which would also be his third in a row with Victoria.
Tremain and his Bushrangers teammates thumped Queensland by and innings and 11 runs at Allan Border field last week to ensure their final spot, while South Australia snuck in with a victory over Tasmania.
Tremain was a member of the Blues’ 2013-14 Shield-winning squad and then Victoria’s 2014-15 unit, before playing a starring role in the Vics’ title-win last summer.
He’s continued that form in the 2016-17 summer as well, taking 42 scalps to be ranked second on the competition’s wicket-taking list behind Redbacks quick Chadd Sayers (54).
He took five of those in the Vics’ massive win over Queensland, snaring match figures of 5-61 as his side rolled the Bulls for 208 and 61, making 280 in between.
He also made his maiden First Class ton this summer, blasting an improbable 111 to inspire the Bushrangers to victory against Western Australia in the competition’s penultimate round.
He did, somewhat comically, follow that up with a two-ball duck against the Bulls though.
It is a really good feeling to be in another Shield final.
- Bushrangers skipper Cameron White
The Redbacks claimed their spot in the decider in dramatic fashion. Having beaten Tasmania, South Australia only needed NSW to fall to Western Australia to ensure a rematch of last summer’s Shield decider.
The Blues were chasing a massive 403 to win, so that seemed a safe result.
NSW fought, and hard, but ultimately lost their push for victory with 10 balls remaining in Perth's lengthening shadows.
“It is a really good feeling to be in another Shield final,” Victorian captain Cameron White said.
“We worked really hard ... and we knew that if we [defeated Western Australia] we would be a really good chance of getting in there, so we’re really looking forward to another one.”
Victoria will host the five-day final from March 26 onward in Alice Springs, with no suitable venues available in Melbourne due to the AFL season.
The Bushrangers boast a healthy record in the red centre, having won four and drawn one of their five regular-season matches there over the past two years.
That’s also where Tremain smashed his ton.
“Knowing the conditions here, there is a little bit in the wicket early on and then it flattens out,” White said.
Victoria named its 12-strong squad for the final on Tuesday morning. Tremain is one of three out-and-out quicks name alongside Scott Boland and James Pattinson.
“The squad we’ve named will thrive in the conditions at Traeger Park, and hopefully can bring home another title to Victoria,” chairman of selectors Andrew Lynch said.
Tremain and Victoria’s final tilt at the title starts on March 26 at 11am, and will be streamed live on cricket.com.au.