Commanding centuries from David Hussey and Aaron Finch have given the Bushrangers a stranglehold over their Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania at the MCG.
At stumps on day two, Victoria was 8-358 with first innings points in the bag and a lead of 136 over the Tigers.
With Queensland battling to stave off defeat against the Warriors in Brisbane, the Vics now appear set to host the Bulls in the competition final next week regardless of the result against Tassie.
Victoria went into this final round of Shield matches holding a three-point lead over Queensland that's since been extended to five.
Unless the Bulls do a 'Lazarus' at the Gabba and claim six points for an outright win, the Bushrangers need only occupy the crease for as long as possible on Friday and then nurse their attack, and frontline quicks in particular, through the remainder of this match.
One of them, Darren Pattinson picked up a calf strain midway through Tasmania's first innings and will surely be rested on Friday and Saturday in a bid to have him right for the final which starts next Wednesday.
The 212-run third-wicket stand between Hussey, who made 140, and Finch, 102, was the Bushrangers' best for any wicket this season, surpassing a stand of 181 between Chris Rogers and Brad Hodge against South Australia in Adelaide.
The pair came together with the score at 2-51 just after midday following the loss of openers Nick Jewell for 28 and Michael Hill (19).
They middled the ball from the start and matched one another blow for blow throughout the second session in particular which produced 142 runs at a very steady pace.
It took Hussey just 55 deliveries to bring up his 50 and he registered his century with an outrageous square cut for six off Brendan Drew from 124 balls-faced.
Finch's 50 took just 89 balls to compile and his maiden Shield century from 151 deliveries was achieved in the second-last over before tea with a quick single off Dan Marsh.
Finch was out in the second over after tea when he tickled one through to Alex Doolan who was deputising as 'keeper for the injured Tim Paine, off Adam Griffith.
Andrew McDonald made only one - the fourth time he's failed to reach double figures in his past five Shield innings - and Rob Quiney (9) missed an invaluable opportunity to cement a place in the line-up for the final when he bunted a Jason Krejza full-toss to Ed Cowan at mid-wicket.
Hussey's was the sixth wicket to fall with the score on 324 when he was trapped in front by Griffith who returned the best figures for Tassie of 3-75, while Brendon Drew claimed 3-86.
John Hastings (2) and Damien Wright (5) fell cheaply in the shadow of stumps leaving the not out batsmen Matthew Wade, 33, and Pattinson, seven, to resume on Friday.
Xavier Doherty deputised as captain in the field for Paine who picked-up a side strain while batting on Wednesday.
Paine, who himself was handed the captaincy at short notice following George Bailey's call-up for ODI duty, hopes to be fit to bat in Tasmania's second innings.
Tasmania first innings 222
Victoria first innings
Jewell c Marsh b Drew 28 (41)
Hill c Doolan b Drew 19 (64)
Finch c Doolan b Griffith 102 (158)
Hussey lbw Griffith 140 (189)
McDonald c Doolan b Griffith 1 (12)