Mitch Perry and Jon Merlo have had their strong Premier Cricket form rewarded, with both players named in a 13-player squad for Victoria's final Sheffield Shield match for 2024.
The ladder-leaders will lock horns with the Queensland Bulls for the second time in as many weeks, after Victoria's thrilling 90-run win at the Gabba.
Victoria will look to continue its winning ways at the MCG, chasing their third-consecutive victory on the hallowed turf following stirring wins against reigning champions Western Australia and a star-studded NSW side back in October.
It's been a memorable start to this year's campaign, with a number of emerging players standing up in crucial moments across both formats.
Campbell Kellaway starred in Queensland, with his maiden-century leading to Player of the Match honours, while Xaiver Crone continues to shine with both bat and ball since being recalled.
Sam Elliott has also enjoyed a breakout campaign, with the fast-bowler currently the leading wicket-taker across both One Day and Sheffield Shield competitions.
Victoria has also been well supported by a number of its senior players, including batsmen Marcus Harris and Peter Handscomb, who have scored 404 and 376 runs respectively, with Handscomb having scored the most half-centuries in first-class cricket this year.
Captain Will Sutherland continues to recover from a side-strain, while Peter Siddle and Matt Short will be unavailable for Victoria's final match before the Big Bash break.
Victorian Head Coach, Chris Rogers, said:
"We've had a lot of contributors, which is fantastic. We're now starting to see the emergence of a number of younger players like Campbell Kellaway, Sam Elliott, Fergus O'Neill," said Rogers.
"These guys are really stepping up and it's not just about their performances, it's their application and the way they're going about it.
"They can read the game and understand situations, which as a group we're getting a lot better with."
Victoria face Queensland at the MCG in Round 6 of the Sheffield Shield beginning on December 6 at 10:30 AM AEDT. The game can be seen on Kayo Sports and cricket.com.au with tickets available at Gate 2.
Sheffield Shield Squad: Victoria vs Queensland: December 6-9
- Peter Handscomb (St Kilda) (C)
- Ash Chandrasinghe (Casey-South Melbourne)
- Xavier Crone (Carlton)
- Sam Elliott (Fitzroy Doncaster)
- Sam Harper (Melbourne)
- Marcus Harris (St Kilda)
- Campbell Kellaway (Melbourne)
- Jon Merlo (St Kilda)
- Cam McClure (Prahran)
- Todd Murphy (St Kilda)
- Fergus O'Neill (Melbourne)
- Mitch Perry (Richmond)
- Tom Rogers (Ringwood)
