Victoria were staring down another embarrassing Sheffield Shield defeat after big knocks from Jack Clayton and Michael Neser followed Matt Renshaw’s second-day hundred to put them to the sword.

Renshaw was the hero on Sunday with 135, and it was Clayton and Neser who did the damage on Monday.

Victoria went to stumps on day three in all sorts of bother at 104 for 7, still requiring a further 144 runs to make Queensland bat again.

The poor display follows on from their first-round flop when they lost to Western Australia by an innings and 53 runs.

Victoria’s top three of Travis Dean, Marcus Harris and Campbell Kellaway all failed in the second innings against Queensland.

And when Matt Short, who scored a century in his first innings, fell for a 10-ball duck after edging Gurinder Sandhu behind, Victoria slumped to 47 for 4.

Victoria were in disarray at 87 for 7 following an inspired spell from spinner Mitchell Swepson, which included a terrific delivery that spun past the edge to bowl Sam Harper first ball, before Peter Handscomb and Todd Murphy ensured their side made it to stumps.

Queensland will be aiming to wrap up the win early on day four, with Victoria facing a monumental task to force a draw.

Victoria have posted totals of 256, 172, and 253 in their three completed innings so far this Shield season, and their bowling attack has barely fired a shot.

WA managed to post 481 against Victoria in the season opener, while Queensland’s line-up feasted on the attack in Mackay.

Neser, who has been in outstanding form with the bat this season, was particularly brutal, cracking nine fours and four sixes in his quick-fire knock. He took 29 runs off what became Mitch Perry’s final over of the innings including three consecutive sixes.

Clayton was more patient on the way to posting his second Shield century which followed scores of 4 for 0 against NSW in the opening round