Doran steers Tasmania to MCG victory and second place in Shield table

First-innings saviour Jake Doran again came to Tasmania's rescue, helping steer them to a four-wicket win over Victoria at the MCG and second spot on the Sheffield Shield ladder.

After resuming at 4 for 151 and with 87 runs required for victory at the beginning of day four, Doran's unbeaten 47 guided Tasmania to victory. The hard-fought win, sealed midway through the second hour of the morning session, sent Tasmania past Queensland on the table, trailing only undefeated Western Australia.

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 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 Tasmania 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-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 Jackson Bird, who turns 36 in a fortnight, took 4 for 13 and 4 for 54 with the ball, setting up the result on the opening day when the hosts were skittled for 121.