Victoria 3 for 184 (Harris 95) trail Queensland 441 (Hemphrey, Neser 75*, Burns 60, Labuschagne 59) by 257 runs
Australia opener Marcus Harris fell agonisingly short of a second Sheffield Shield century of the summer to leave Victoria's clash with Queensland evenly poised at stumps on day two.
Harris was given out caught behind for 95 off the bowling of Mitch Swepson in the second last over before the close. He was bitterly disappointed having hit his pad with his bat as he defended from the crease but the umpire deemed the ball scratched his outside edge.
"I didn't hit it," Harris said after play. "I hit my back pad. But it doesn't matter."
It was the first time Harris had been dismissed in the 90s in his first-class career having struck 15 fours in a very fluent 155-ball innings. He was savage on anything straight as Queensland's quicks overpitched on his pads on seven occasions.
He did have some fortune early with two loose shots wide of off stump flying safely off the edge wide of the cordon. He also edged a ball on 55 at knee height through a vacant third slip.
Harris, who had a lean Test series against Sri Lanka after impressing against India, put on 82 with Nic Maddinson after stands of 49 and 56 with Travis Dean and Will Pucovski respectively. Dean edged Michael Neser to slip for 26 while Pucovski looked very comfortable for his 22 before gloving a pull shot down the leg side off Mark Steketee.
Maddinson finished the day 36 not out alongside nightwatchman Scott Boland with Victoria 257 runs behind.
Earlier, Charlie Hemphrey fell seven runs shy of his fifth first-class century on a day of near misses. Victoria's quicks starved him of scoring opportunities in the morning and he finally succumbed slashing and edging a wide one from Peter Siddle for 93.
Neser proved a thorn in Victoria's side making an unbeaten 75, his fifth half-century of the Shield summer. It was the first time he batted at No.7 in his career after pestering the Bulls coaching staff for an opportunity to move one spot higher in the order. He was very fortunate to survive an lbw shout on 38 when Siddle him on the back pad in front of off stump but the umpire gave it not out. The decision allowed Neser to help propel Queensland's total well beyond 400.
