Mennie gives Redbacks hope of victory

The South Australia fast bowler Joe Mennie sparked a Victorian batting collapse that left South Australia with a reasonable chance of victory at stumps on the third day at Adelaide Oval. Chasing 189, the Redbacks went to the close at 2 for 34 with first-innings centurion Phillip Hughes on 17, having just survived a dropped catch at slip and having also lost his partner, the nightwatchman Nathan Lyon, lbw to Will Sheridan for a duck.

It left South Australia needing another 155 runs for victory, their chase having begun poorly with the loss of opener Michael Klinger lbw to James Pattinson for 2. There was another problem for South Australia, though, as Klinger's opening partner Sam Raphael was forced to retire hurt on 11 after being struck on the helmet by a Pattinson bouncer.

The loss of two Redbacks late in the afternoon meant 14 wickets had fallen during the day, beginning with the final two wickets of South Australia's first innings. Sheridan finished with 4 for 49 as the Redbacks were bowled out for 267, conceding first-innings points to the Victorians, but Mennie and Chadd Sayers made sure the lead didn't grow too much in the second innings.

Chris Rogers (25) and Rob Quiney (14) put on 43 for the opening wicket but after that the wickets tumbled, including David Hussey for 8. It wasn't a good match for Hussey, who was hoping to impress ahead of the Test tour of India: in the first innings he managed only 1 and he was the fieldsman responsible for dropping Hughes off Sheridan late in the day.

Pattinson was the top scorer for Victoria with 33 as their batsmen struggled to handle Mennie, who finished with the outstanding figures of 6 for 43 from 21 overs to add to his three wickets in the first innings. Sayers, who had taken six in the first innings, took a secondary role this time with 2 for 42 from his 23 overs.