Cameron shines on gloomy day

Close South Australia 225 and 2 for 122 (Cameron 58*) lead Victoria 8 for 331 dec by 16 runs
Scorecard

The rain which curtailed Shane Warne's comeback a couple of miles down the road also brought a premature end to the third day's play between Victoria and South Australia at the MCG with just 37 overs bowled. South Australia had progressed to 2 for 122, a lead of 16, when play was abandoned for the day shortly before six o'clock.

Ben Cameron, playing in his first state game, and opening partner Shane Deitz resumed at 0 for 3 and took SA through to 0 for 100 at lunch. But aside from erasing their first innings deficit, the 30 minutes of play after lunch were cruel for SA.

Deitz (48) was stumped when he edged a Cameron White delivery into his pads and took off down the wicket, only for the ball to squirt to Darren Berry, the wicketkeeper, who had the bails off in a flash. Greg Blewett (8) was also unlucky, as he batted through steady rain and was then given out leg-before to White despite playing well forward to a skidder which might have spun and missed leg stump. Adding insult to the decision play was halted immediately after Blewett's dismissal and not another ball was bowled for the day.

Cameron, who scored 54 in the first innings, is the first South Australian since Greg Chappell in 1966-67 to have scored two half-centuries on his first-class debut.

An extra hour of play is likely to be added to tomorrow's final day to make up for the shortfall of overs.