Victoria has scored its third-straight convincing win over NSW in a one-day cricket match, winning by nine wickets at the MCG.

Man of the match Michael Klinger also continued his outstanding one-day form against the Blues with an unbeaten 76 as Victoria reached 1-183 from 38 overs in reply to NSW's 7-180 from 50 overs.

Victoria also gained a bonus point for winning within 40 overs and is now second on the Ford Ranger Cup table.

Earlier this week, Victoria beat NSW by an innings and 63 runs in a Pura Cup match at the MCG and two Sundays ago, beat the Blues by eight wickets in a Canberra one-dayer.

Jon Moss scored 56 and Brad Hodge was unbeaten on 34.

Klinger hit the winning boundary and in nine one dayers against NSW now has an average of 87.8, including two centuries.

He also hit an unbeaten 123 in the Canberra win.

While Victoria was celebrating another big win, the state of the pitch for this game will continue speculation about the Boxing Day Test strip.

Wednesday's deck was extremely dry and the Boxing Day strip, while green, already appears to have two bare patches on a good length at the members end.

Klinger had a momentary mishap in the 11th over, when he broke his bat on a forward defensive shot.

But it had no effect on his innings - he cracked the next delivery from Nathan Bracken through the covers for four.

Klinger and Moss put on 126 in 166 balls before Moss tried to smash O'Brien's left-arm spin through the covers and was bowled.

Earlier, NSW captain Simon Katich led the fightback after NSW slumped to 5-51 in the 17th over.

Katich top-scored with 59 after winning the toss and he and O'Brien steadied the innings with a sixth-wicket stand of 78.

Wicketkeeper Adam Crosthwaite dropped a chance off Katich from the bowling of Darren Pattinson, but he stumped Katich in the next over off the leg spin of his captain Cameron White.

O'Brien made 43 and Nathan Hauritz (25) and Scott Coyte (17) were the not-out batsmen.

Mick Lewis, in-form all-rounder Andrew McDonald and White took two wickets apiece.

The pitch looked extremely dry and neither Katich nor White was entirely sure of what to do at the toss.

NSW lost wicketkeeper Brad Haddin before the match with an elbow injury.

A thick smoke haze hung over the ground for the NSW innings, because of the bushfires in the state's north, although it cleared a little as the game progressed.

Victorian Aiden Blizzard and David Warner were made the 12th men.

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