The defending champions had looked like taking a strong lead, but ended up in trouble themselves later in the day

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff06-Oct-2025

Peter Handscomb’s century kept Victoria level on first innings•Getty Images

Peter Handscomb reminded Test selectors of his talents, scoring another Sheffield Shield century against South Australia.After the Victoria captain top scored with 103 on Monday at Adelaide Oval and declared seven runs behind the home side, a crucial sixth-wicket stand rescued the day for SA.Related

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Daniel Drew (42 not out) and Harry Nielsen (41 not out) took SA from a precarious 82 for 5 to 169 for 5 at stumps, a lead of 176 going into the last day.Resuming on 38 with the score 167 for 3, Handscomb anchored the Victorian innings on day three. In reply to SA’s 350, they were in trouble at 199 for 6 before Handscomb combined with Fergus O’Neill for a seventh-wicket stand of 125.Spinner Lloyd Pope had O’Neill caught-and-bowled for 64 and Pope dismissed Handscomb, caught by Jordan Buckingham in the deep for the eighth wicket.Handscomb, whose most recent Test was in March 2023, faced 180 balls and hit seven fours and two sixes. Half of his 18 Shield tons have been against SA.SA steadily lost early wickets in their second innings. After a duck on the opening day, No.3 and Test hopeful Nathan McSweeney was dismissed for 6 when he edged a pull against David Moody.Opener Henry Hunt and Jake Lehmann starred with centuries in SA’s first innings. But when impressive Victorian left-arm spinner Doug Warren dismissed them in successive overs – Hunt top-edging a sweep and Lehmann bowled through the gate on the drive – the home side was five down for not nearly enough.That brought together Drew and Nielsen, who grew in confidence as they batted through to stumps.