Jon Moss and Darren Berry's calculated assault on New South Wales captain Stuart MacGill paid dividends today when both cracked centuries to push Victoria to the brink of outright victory in the Pura Cup cricket match at the SCG.

Moss, a gifted allrounder who moved from Sydney to Melbourne last season because he could not even get a game for the NSW second XI, compiled a polished 109 and Berry made 148 in Victoria's first innings of 358 - a lead of 249 runs.

At stumps on day two, NSW was 2-82 in its second innings, still 167 runs behind, with opener Greg Mail on 26 and nightwatchman Dale Turner yet to score.

MacGill, who delighted the Vics on the opening morning by electing to bat under grey skies following morning drizzle, finished with the unflattering figures of 0-111 from 23 overs.

Moss and Berry attacked the Test leg-spinner at every opportunity during their superb 199-run partnership.

"He's a bowler that - I reckon anyway from watching him - if you let him into a groove he gets more and more dangerous so we decided early on to try and knock him off his line," Berry said.

"Stuey can be hard work if he gets on top of you, especially here at the SCG.

"It was a conscious decision to play positively to him from the start, especially when he threw the ball up. It went in our favour this time but that's not to say it will work next time."

Moss, 26, recorded his maiden first-class century from 235 balls in 268 minutes, hitting 19 boundaries.

Berry's fourth ton - all of which have come against the Blues - also included 19 strokes to the fence as well as two over it.

"I never played any representative cricket for NSW apart from schoolboy level," said Moss, formerly with the Gordon and Manly clubs in the Sydney grade premiership.

"But it's the city I came from and I've got family and friends here so it's extra special and to do so well on this ground is great.

"I felt I was doing reasonably well for Manly but I heard a few whispers around the traps and I personally didn't think the opportunity was going to come.

"I wanted to give myself every chance to play first-class cricket and going down to Melbourne ... I went down just to play club cricket and hoped for the best."

Berry's 310-minute, 258-ball stay ended when he was given out caught behind off left-arm spinner Mark Higgs.

"When I started my career my bogey side was New South Wales," he said.

"I made a real decision that I wanted to do well against New South Wales because I've really valued the contests between the two states.

"We've always had really good tussles, it's been really competitive between us ever since I've played the game and I really try and dig in against them."

After scoring only two in the first innings, Brett Van Deinsen did nothing to suggest he was a better opening option for NSW than Michael Slater by managing just eight in the second.

He launched himself at a short ball outside off stump today and gave Brad Hodge a comfortable catch at second slip.

It was the type of stroke Slater would be crucified for.

Stuart Clark wrapped up the Vics' tail to finish with 5-75 from 32.4 overs.

But big Don Nash bowled even better to take 4-59, including two bursts of 2-0, before he was forced from the field with a side strain later diagnosed as nothing major.

© 2002 AAP