Marcus Harris stands out with century but rain continues to rule

Marcus Harris made his second Sheffield Shield century of the season on another day severely impacted by rain against Queensland in Brisbane.

Harris, who returned to the Australia Test side against India in Brisbane, brought up his hundred during a brief resumption in play on the second afternoon after before the weather closed in again to curtail the action leaving just 76 overs bowled in the game.

Harris' innings took him past 600 runs for the season as he continued to hold the visitors together alongside some useful lower-order support from James Pattinson and Will Sutherland. Having resumed on 19, he scored 94 of the 138 runs Victoria added.

Victoria started the day on 4 for 81 and crossed their hundred before Seb Gotch offered Joe Burns his third catch of the innings at first slip.

However, from 5 for 108 the total was double during the remainder of the play available. Pattinson helped Harris add 47 for the sixth wicket before he tickled down the leg side against left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann.

Sutherland then provided strong support in a seventh-wicket partnership worth 57 which included Harris bringing up his century with a push down the ground immediately after a rain break.

As of stumps on the second day, Harris was the fourth-highest run-scorer of the season behind Cameron Green (817), Travis Head (801) and Moises Henriques (633).

Mark Steketee's first wicket of the innings provided the breakthrough when Sutherland sliced a catch to Usman Khawaja in the gully but there was only time for four more overs.

Although overs can be made up over the remaining two days (as they were due to be today) the forecast for Wednesday in Brisbane remains poor with a 90% chance of rain and further showers on the final day so it is difficult to see how the match will have a positive result without some significant discussions between the captains.

Victoria, currently fourth in the table, are the side most in need of a victory in order to keep their hopes alive of a place in the final next month, with Queensland currently in a tight race with New South Wales at the top.