Late Vics collapse puts Redbacks on top

South Australia are eyeing off their first win of the summer in any format after a dramatic stumble by Victoria late on day two left the Redbacks in pole position to finish their Marsh Sheffield Shield campaign with a drought-breaking triumph.

After Victoria's Test batting candidates Marcus Harris (42), Nic Maddinson (41) and Peter Handscomb (26) all threw away promising starts, the Redbacks bowlers cracked a tense game wide open.

The Vics lost 3-2 in 11 balls in the final session, going to stumps trailing SA by 132 at 7-201, with Sam Harper (25 not out) and Mitchell Perry (4no) at the crease.

Both teams had club cricket stars making their first-class debuts and the respective rookies showed up their more experienced teammates, as South Australia's Sam Kerber (55) made important runs from number eight before Victoria's James Seymour (60) impressed in the middle order later in the day.

But Seymour's departure to Kerber not only gave the 26-year-old his maiden first-class scalp but also sparked the collapse that has left the visitors in the box seat for their first Shield win since February last year.

And it was Dan Worrall (2-36 off 16 overs) who claimed wickets two and three in that chaotic period, the paceman setting off towards mid-off in a fevered celebration when he bowled Will Sutherland for a duck before nicking off Scott Boland (2) three balls later.

SA's first-innings total had been boosted by an assured maiden half-century from former Vics Under 19s player Kerber, who resumed on 25 and helped the Redbacks add 103 for their last four wickets.

Having resumed the day on 7-278, the Redbacks reached 333 before Kerber, a left-arm spinning allrounder who has dominated grade cricket after switching from Melbourne club Monash Tigers to join Adelaide University in 2017, was the final man out.

The newcomer fell to the left-arm spin of Jon Holland, who finished with 5-82 for his 11th career five-wicket haul.

Although neither side can make the final, Victoria's batters would have been eager to push their international cases in their final four-day game of the season, as Travis Head did with his first-day 76.

But it was a nightmare start for the hosts as opener Travis Dean was trapped lbw for a duck two balls into the innings by Chadd Sayers, who is playing in his final first-class match after announcing his retirement earlier this week.

Marcus Harris got a life on 31 when Sayers dropped a diving chance at long-on but failed to make his opponents pay as he edged behind to Head's off-spin for 42.

Peter Handscomb was caught on the boundary hooking for a third consecutive innings, having twice been out that way in the Vics' recent game against Western Australia.

Seymour made his first Shield runs in startling fashion, pulling a length ball from retiring Sayers for six over square leg. The left-hander was selected for the Vics off the back of prolific Premier Cricket form, having made centuries in Darwin, Sydney and Melbourne over the past 10 months, and he teamed up well with fellow daring left-hander Maddinson to put on 79 for the fourth wicket.

But Maddinson flashed at Liam Scott's first delivery of the game to be caught behind, before Seymour missed a booming cover drive off Kerber to spark the procession of Victorian wickets.

SA have lost four and drawn three of their Shield games this season, while they have been defeated in all four of their Marsh One-Day Cup games.