Brendan Doggett took four wickets but it was not enough to force victory
South Australia 357 (Drew 130, Weatherald 122, Perry 4-57, Boland 4-61) and 213 (Hunt 57) drew with Victoria 264 (Maddinson 82, Harris 58, Pucovski 54) and 6 for 236 (Handscomb 148*, Doggett 4-51)
South Australia pushed hard for their first win of the season and when Victoria were 3 for 49 they had a good chance. Later in the day they removed Matthew Short and Travis Dean, Pucovski’s concussion sub, in quick succession to leave Victoria five down with more than 30 overs remaining but they could not find a way past Handscomb who faced 280 balls. Legspinner Lloyd Pope went wicketless through 24 overs.
Doggett was the standout performer for South Australia on the final day and made the first breakthrough when Nic Maddinson, opening in place of Pucovski, edged behind and when Marcus Harris flashed a drive into the slips in the next over Victoria were 2 for 7.
Handscomb and Jonathan Merlo built a stand that lasted 24 overs – Victoria were never a realistic chance of the chance after the early wickets – before Merlo edged Doggett.
Short’s innings was ended when he was sharply caught by substitute Ryan Gibson at second slip, who was standing so close he wore a helmet, which revived South Australia early in the final session. They were further boosted when Doggett pinned Dean with a reverse-swinging yorker which the umpire ruled struck pad before bat.
Handscomb brought up his century from 212 balls at which point he had 100 of Victoria’s 149 runs. There was chance it would still not be enough, but he found the required support to maintain the team’s unbeaten Sheffield Shield season.