Victorian openers Nick Jewell and Rob Quiney have seized the initiative in the Sheffield Shield final against Queensland at the MCG, helping to build a 159-run lead with 10 second-innings wickets in hand.
At tea on day three, the Vics - who claimed a precious 48-run lead on the first innings - were 0-111 with Jewell unbeaten on 52 and Quiney 46 not out.
But both teams have suffered injury setbacks that will have a significant bearing on the course of the final.
Bushrangers trump card Damien Wright has pulled a hamstring, while a torn calf muscle will prevent Bulls all-rounder James Hopes from bowling in Victoria's second innings.
Hopes will bat with a runner if required, but faces a three-week injury layoff which casts a cloud over his availability for the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies at the end of next month.
The setback will also hit the 31-year-old in the hip pocket with the likelihood that he will forego $300,000 in match payments if, as expected, he's unable to fulfil his IPL commitments with Kings XI Punjab.
Wright's prospects of playing a role with the ball in the visitors' second innings will depend on the result of scans.
The 34-year-old, who has claimed 35 wickets for the Bushrangers in six matches since Christmas, pulled up short when bowling to Bulls tailender Chris Swan in the first hour of play on Friday.
He was unable to complete the over - his 22nd for the innings - and left the field clutching the back of his right leg.
Wright's loss places significant strain on the Vics' attack and amplifies the onus on the Bushrangers' bats to build as big a lead as possible - though the Bulls are just as disadvantaged by Hopes' setback.
Queensland was bowled out 20 minutes before lunch for 257 in reply to Victoria's first innings of 305.
Resuming at 6-199, Ben Cutting opened his shoulders and quickly advanced the score almost single-handedly to 220 when he lost partner Chris Simpson padding up to Wright.
The Bulls skipper had failed to add to his overnight score of 16.
John Hastings chimed in with the wickets of Swan (11) and Luke Feldman (four), and Andrew McDonald wrapped up the innings when he bowled Cameron Boyce for four, leaving Cutting unbeaten on 35.
McDonald returned the best figures for the Vics of 3-64.
Jewell and Quiney managed to survive a testing 10 minutes at the crease before lunch, but launched themselves into the second session with 26 runs from the first three overs.
That set the tone for a very entertaining two hours for the small crowd at the MCG with bat prevailing over ball for the first time in the match.
The openers brought up their 50 partnership in 60 minutes and the hundred in 107.
Jewell, whose only scare was a big appeal for leg-before by Swan in the last over before tea, was first to his 50 from 87 balls with eight boundaries with the promise of more to come in the final session.
Victoria first innings 305
Queensland first innings
Broad b McGain 80 (206)
Townsend b Pattinson 1 (12)
Carseldine c McDonald b Wright 7 (7)
Lynn lbw McDonald 40 (63)
Hopes c Hussey b McDonald 17 (18)
Hartley lbw McGain 24 (95)
Simpson lbw Wright 16 (70)
Cutting not out 35 (74)
Swan b Hastings 11 (28)
Feldman c Quiney b Hastings 4 (6)
Boyce b McDonald 4 (12)
Extras: 17 (4b, 8lb, 5nb)
Total: 257 (10 wickets, 98 overs)
FOW: 1-3, 2-14, 3-73, 4-93, 5-158, 6-195, 7-220, 8-243, 9-249, 10-257
Bowling
Wright 21.4 - 10 - 48 - 2 (1nb)
Pattinson 17 - 3 - 53 - 1 (3nb)
McDonald 26.4 - 9 - 64 - 3
Hastings 1.2 - 2 - 51 - 2 (1nb)
McGain 14 - 5 - 29 - 2
Victoria second innings
Jewell not out 54 (102)
Quiney not out 46 (79)
Extras: 11 (8lb, 1nb, 2w)
Total: 111 (0 wickets, 30 overs)
Bowling
Swan - 10 - 1 - 21 - 0 (2w)
Cutting 6 - 2 - 17 - 0 (1nb)
Feldman 5 - 0 - 35 - 0
Simpson 9 - 2 - 30 - 0