South Australia 305 & 27 for 0 (Harvey 20*) lead Victoria 308 (Kellaway 66, Peake 59, Sutherland 51, McSweeney 3-18) by 24 runs

Half-centuries to Victoria young gun Oliver Peake and skipper Will Sutherland were the bright spots on a gloomy third day at the Junction Oval where only 28.2 overs of play were possible due to persistent rain.

Nathan McSweeney took 3 for 18 to mop up Victoria's tail as they were bowled out for 308 in their first innings. South Australia's openers reached 27 without loss, with Mackenzie Harvey scoring 20 of them, before rain ended the day.

Peake added 15 to his overnight score to finish with 59, his third Sheffield Shield half-century and only his second this season, while Sutherland added nine runs to reach 51 before being dismissed, his second fifty-plus score in the last three games following his century against Western Australia.

Both players reached fifty after a rain delay interrupted the morning session. Peake produced the shot of the day drilling Henry Thornton straight of mid-off. But Sutherland slapped a back foot drive straight to McSweeney at cover-point off Liam Scott to break the 101-run stand. Mitch Perry picked out the same fielder off the same bowler not long after.

There was further rain during the lunch interval that extended it to close to 90 minutes. Peake fell in the first over after the break, nicking Ben Manenti to slip trying to force him off the back foot. McSweeney then cleaned up the tail in quick time.

Given South Australia had qualified for the Shield final on day two, there was a distinct lack of intensity when two sides returned for the start of SA's second innings. A looming weather front finally arrived midway through the day and there was no further play as the rain did not stop. The final day will likely fizzle out with both sides looking ahead to the final at the same venue on March 26.