Marcus Wilson at Adelaide Oval
The Victorian Bushrangers have fallen three wickets short of claiming an outright victory against the Redbacks in their Sheffield Shield clash at Adelaide Oval on Friday.
Chasing 268 for victory, South Australia finished the game at 7-176 with Graham Manou (14 runs) and Dan Cullen (one) the not out batsmen.
Andrew McDonald dismissed Mark Cleary on the first ball of the last over of the game but despite positioning a ring of fielders around the bat, Victoria couldn't conjure up a miracle win.
The Bushrangers bowling attack shared the workload again but McDonald had the best figures with 3-15 off just nine overs while Dirk Nannes, Clint McKay, Shane Harwood and Jon Holland also chimed in with wickets.
Man of the match was Nick Jewell for his 164 in the first innings.
An explosive opening session by South Australia, in which its bowlers took 9-100, opened the door to a one-day style chase with the home side needing 4.39 per over in two sessions to snare outright points.
But the Redbacks took a conservative approach and by tea it was obvious the task was too big for its batting line-up - they went to that break 2-76.
Cameron Borgas and Callum Fergusson were dismissed quickly and cheaply early in the final session and there were some anxious moments as the home team slumped to 4-90 with 27 overs still to be played.
However Daniel Harris' tidy 62 and 49 runs from New South Wales recruit Aaron O'Brien steadied the ship to ensure the clash finished in a stalemate. The pair put on 47 for the fifth wicket and all but ended the visitors' own aspirations for maximum points.
Victoria took the first innings honours after piling on the runs in the first few days. But they must have wondered whether their work had been done undone when they collapsed early on Friday.
Chris Rogers and David Hussey were dismissed in quick succession by Cleary and from that point the home side held sway.
If it wasn't for Harwood's aggressive 31 at the death of the innings, Victoria would've been further on the back foot.
Cullen was the most dangerous bowler with 3-60 off 20 overs, O'Brien collected two late wickets while Shaun Tait bowled at top pace and caused some concern taking two scalps as well.
McDonald was perhaps the unluckiest player of the day when a finger-tip touch on the ball from Cleary cannoned into the stumps at the non-striker's end.
If the match was awarded on points, Victoria would've finished on top thanks to a commanding batting performance on the first day and half of play.
Jewell's innings and Brad Hodge's 104 were the foundations to the visitors' 6-473 total.
The Redbacks fought hard to respond but never had the firepower to seriously challenge the Vics' total.
South Australia plays New South Wales in a Ford Ranger Cup game next Wednesday and then tackles the Blues in a Sheffield Shield game starting October 24.
Victoria's next Sheffield Shield opponent is Queensland at the Gabba next Tuesday.
Victoria innings
Rogers c Klinger b Rofe 63
Jewell b Rofe 164
Hodge c Cleary b Rofe 104
Hussey c Klinger b Tait 8
McDonald c Borgas b O'Brien 60
Quiney not out 45
Wade c Harris b Tait
Extras: 21 (16lb, 5nb)
Total: 473 (6 wickets; 134.4 overs)
FoW: 1-139, 2-329, 3/352, 4/372, 5/452, 6/473
Bowling:
Tait 28.4 - 5 -82 - 2 (2nb)
Rofe 27 - 8- 80 - 3 (2nb)
Cleary 21 - 7 - 62 - 0
Cullen 28 - 4 - 102 - 0
O'Brien 21 - 4 - 75 - 1
Harris 9 - 1 - 36 - 0 (1nb)
South Australia innings
Harris c Hussey b McDonald 18
Plant lbw McKay 48
Klinger not out 150
Borgas b Harwood 1
Ferguson run out (Quiney) 21
O'Brien lbw Nannes 4
Manou lbw Holland 33
Cleary lbw Harwood 11
Cullen not out 23
Extras: 46 (17b, 9lb, 4w, 16nb)
Total: 357 (7 wickets; 82 overs)
FoW: 1-53, 2-134, 3-139, 4-187, 5-192, 6-256, 7-289
Bowling:
Nannes 22-7-44-1 (4nb)
McKay 27-5-77-1 (6nb)
Harwood 28-4-78-2 (4nb)
McDonald 20-8-45-1 (2b)
Holland 33-8-71-1 (4w)
Hodge 7-1-16-0
Victoria innings
Jewell c Manou b Tait 17
Rogers lbw Cleary 27
Hodge c Plant b Cullen 11
Hussey b Cleary 1
McDonald run out (Cleary) 9
Quiney c Manou b Tait 13
Wade b Cullen 6
McKay c Plant b Cullen 4
Harwood lbw O'Brien 31
Holland b O'Brien 8
Nannes not out 0
Extras: 12 (4b, 5lb, 3nb)
Total: 151 (10 wickets; 46 overs)
FoW: 1-28, 2-55, 3-57, 4-78, 5-87, 6-93, 7-97, 8-121, 9-137, 10-151
Bowling:
Tait 12-2-35-2 (2nb)
Rofe 3-0-18-0
Cleary 8-2-22-2 (1nb)
Cullen 20-3-60-3
O'Brien 3.4-0-7-2
South Australia innings
Harris lbw McDonald 62
Plant c Wade b McKay 0
Klinger c Wade b Harwood 29
Borgas c Wade b Nannes 14
Ferguson c McDonald b Holland 2
O'Brien c Rogers b McDonald 49
Manou not out 14
Cleary lbw McDonald 0
Cullen not out 1
Extras: 5 (1lb, 1w, 3nb)
Total: 176 (7 wickets; 61 overs)
FoW: 1-2, 2-52, 3-85, 4-90, 5-137, 6-169, 7-175
Bowling:
Nannes 10-1-29-1
McKay 11-2-32-1 (1w)
Harwood 12-0-49-1 (3nb)
Holland 17-4-46-1
McDonald 9-4-15-3
Hodge 2-1-4-0