Labuschagne grinds after Handscomb 67 to leave MCG game in the balance

A disastrous dropped catch by Victoria wicketkeeper Sam Harper was offset by a late mistake from Queensland captain Marnus Labuschagne to leave the Sheffield Shield game on a knife's edge after another fast moving day at the MCG.

Only 10 wickets fell on the second day, after 17 fell on day one, with the surface settling slightly but batting was still difficult. Peter Handscomb's first-innings 67 remained the highest score of the match, which keep Victoria in it, before another Hugo Burdon (43), Usman Khawaja (36) and Labuschagne (41) pushed Queensland's lead to 178 with four wickets in hand.

But Labuschagne, who revealed post-play that he is playing with a broken right thumb and damaged ligaments, was out top edging a pull shot late in the day to open up Queensland's tail after Michael Neser had been dropped by Harper top edging a similar shot to deflate Victoria.

Neser was 11 when he tried to pull Mitch Perry only for the top edge to fly straight up, Harper run underneath it and Neser walked close to him without realising as he headed towards the rooms prematurely. Neser did not interfere with Harper but the keeper spilled the regulation chance to leave everyone in the ground stunned. Neser finished the day unbeaten 22 alongside Hayden Kerr.

Labuschagne should have been there with him having looked pretty comfortable at the crease. He played the spin of Todd Murphy nicely, advancing to loft him over straight mid-off for four. He also appeared locked into the contest after getting in two verbal exchanges with Sam Elliott and Handscomb.

Elliott had made a gesture after dismissing Labuschagne on the opening day but argued it wasn't a send-off and that the pair just exchanged words about it.

"It was just bit of banter, bit of back and forth," Elliott said. "He was just letting me know that he didn't appreciate what I did [yesterday], so I just said, it's all part of the game. I wouldn't call it a send off, but just a bit of banter, bit of carry on both of us."

Labuschagne downplayed the exchanges. "It is what it is," he said. "It's a contest. And fair play, you get a wicket, you do what you want. [With Handscomb] they weren't anything. I think it was just me being me, and he had some choice words. It's great."

Queensland let slip a nice platform for the second time in the match after an 80-run opening stand between Burdon and Khawaja appeared to show that the pitch had settled. But Burdon fell for 43 for the second time, slicing a catch to gully trying to square drive just before tea.

Khawaja's dismissal shortly suggested the pitch hadn't calmed down. Perry got one to rear from around the wicket and catch the shoulder of the bat with Blake Macdonald taking the simple chance at first slip.

Queensland lost 5 for 42 before Labuschagne and Neser settled with a 46-run stand.

"Disappointing way to get out there with, with what was on the line there for us to be able to push and get a really nice lead," Labuschagne said.

Earlier, Handscomb played a fine hand to ensure Victoria's deficit was just five runs. Having began the day at 61 for 7, Handscomb and Elliott added another 29 before their stand of 42 was broken when Elliott edged Tom Straker.

Handscomb should have fallen the same way on 45 but Jimmy Peirson spilled a regulation change diving to his right. He arguably dived too far and got too close to it before dropping the two-handed catch.

It proved costly as Handscomb made the only half-century of the match so far and added 30 more Murphy and 24 with David Moody, who contributed one run, to end up on 67 and drag Victoria's total to 144. He faced 140 balls, the longest innings of anyone in the match on the tricky batting surface, and struck seven boundaries. He looked a class above with his composure and ability to manage the uneven bounce and seaming conditions.

Straker and Kerr took the last four wickets of the innings to finish with three apiece, while Neser finished with the incredible figures of 13-6-15-3 having ripped through Victoria's top order on day one.