Shipperd: Vics focused

Victorian has made an excellent start to the Sheffield Shield and Ford Ranger Cup seasons, but coach Greg Shipperd said his side won't be resting on its laurels just yet.

The Bushrangers have collected eight points from their two Shield games and have won both of their Ford Ranger Cup matches in impressive style to sit on top of the one-day table.

So far the Vics have only played away, but Shipperd insists his team will not relax despite having the majority of their remaining games at home.

"We are really pleased with the start to the season in both forms of the game," Shipperd said.

"It has not only taken some really good individual performances but also some crucial team efforts when the pressure has gone on at various stages of all the games."

"Three away games is a hell of an ask to start to the season off. But the balance of experience and youth has worked well for us but there is still a long way to go. Four out of first five games are on the road, but if we can be well placed after the fifth game that is a good solid start to the season."

In-form paceman Dirk Nannes believes playing away from home so far this season has actually helped the Victorian side bond and be better prepared for matches.

"The way we travel these days and the way we look after ourselves while we are away I actually don't think road trips are that big a disadvantage anymore. There is no distractions or anything when you go away," Nannes said.

Despite their recent run of away matches, the Bushrangers are again on the road when they travel to Sydney to tackle New South Wales in a Ford Ranger Cup match on Sunday and a Sheffield Shield game starting on Tuesday.

New South Wales defeated Victoria at the SCG in last year's Shield final and the two traditional rivals have played plenty of hard-fought contests over the years.

The Blues have made an indifferent start to the 2008/09 season, picking up a mere two points in the Sheffield Shield and four points in the one-day competition.

And despite the fact that many of its stars are in India representing Australia in the current four-match Test series, Shipperd knows that New South Wales will be a very hard team to beat.

"They are always tough and they are a team to be reckoned with," Shipperd said.

"They have got all of their Test players away, but they have got lots of young hungry players who are highly skilled so we need to put a lot of consistent pressure on those young guys."

"We have had had some good contests with them historically whether they have got Test players in or out so this game will not be taken lightly by any stretch of the imagination."