Redbacks go so close

South Australian captain Daniel Harris believes his side may have only been a breakthrough away from winning their drawn Sheffield Shield match against Queensland at Adelaide Oval.

The Redbacks needed to claim 10 wickets in 86 overs on Wednesday but took just five with the Bulls reaching 5/228 at stumps.

Harris was pleased with his players' sustained effort as Redbacks climbed above Queensland to top spot on the Sheffield Shield table, but was disappointed the side couldn't collect maximum points.

"We thought we played good cricket over four days and we were probably just one or two chances away from getting them six or seven and getting a look at their bowlers," he said.

"It would've been hard work for their guys to survive out of the rough (of the pitch)."

"We weren't far off but we take lots of positives from the game but we need to keep learning and keep getting better."

On reflection South Australia's slow run rate during the opening day may have cost it the time it needed to finish off the Bulls.

But Harris had no regrets about their conservative approach, especially after the team struggled in the first dig of its previous Shield match.

"We are quite happy with the way we set the game up by being really patient and working hard in our first innings, we think that's good first-class cricket, grinding them out and getting a big first-innings score," he said.

"Ideal world, we would've declared overnight and had extra time to bowl them out."

Queensland was set 329 for victory but its second innings never got going with the side reaching 3-146 at tea. But skipper Chris Simpson said the six points were in their sights until the final session.

"There was a point there where we were five down when Chris Hartley and myself were still looking at it, giving it a good nudge," he said.

"And then there was four or five quality overs from Daniel Christian and Cullen Bailey and Harts and myself decided that we felt that this mission was going to be too tough and that further wickets were actually under threat."

Simpson admitted his side was on the back foot from the opening day and was disappointed his side could claim just seven wickets for the game. But he said the team would benefit from toiling on the batsmen-friendly Adelaide Oval pitch.

"To have the young quicks experience something other than the Gabba (is a positive)," Simpson said.

"There's been a lot of press of how they've started well and what not and I think this match will be an eye opener to them just how difficult first-class cricket is and how demanding it can be going into other peoples' backyards."