Test aspirant Oliver Peake was given a late lifeline as Victoria and South Australia ended a rain-affected day two of the Sheffield Shield final evenly poised.
After the Vics bowled out SA for 198, Peake (15no) and Marcus Harris (26no) steered their side to 4-110 at stumps on Friday at Melbourne's Junction Oval.
It came as wet weather interrupted play for a second straight day, with more forecast over the weekend.
SA must win the final outright to claim back-to-back Shield titles for the first time in their history, having fallen two runs short of batting bonus points.
If the decider is drawn and first-innings bonus points are also tied, the title is awarded to the top-ranked side - Victoria.
Peake was on five when he was dropped at third slip by Henry Hunt off Liam Scott's bowling in Friday's final session, and the SA opener went off for medical assessment after the ball slipped through his hands and hit his face.
Hunt, who was badly injured in a fielding accident at the same venue two years ago, was cleared of serious damage.
"You always need a little bit of luck in finals, so hopefully Peakey can cash in and get some big runs tomorrow," Victoria captain Will Sutherland said.
"For 30 or 40 overs the ball did plenty and I'm sure it's going to keep doing a bit tomorrow.
"If we can have as many wickets in hand for when a little bit of air comes out of the ball, then hopefully we can get a score a decent way ahead of them."
SA quick Nathan McAndrew (2-37) had given the visitors a boost with two important wickets, dismissing opener Sam Harper (20) and the experienced Peter Handscomb (eight).
Jordan Buckingham (1-19) got rid of Dylan Brasher (three) cheaply, and Henry Thornton (1-12) removed opener Campbell Kellaway (29).
Harper hit a six and four off McAndrew with his first two balls faced and had a running battle with Buckingham in a short, but eventful, stay at the crease.
The wicketkeeper reacted to a stare-off with Buckingham by belting his next delivery for a six, which was almost caught on the boundary, but he was caught behind soon afterwards.
"It's a bit of cat-and-mouse (game). It's not traditionally how you expect to start a four-day innings," McAndrew said.
"He (Harper) has played some really proactive cricket and set up guard quite leg side, and I wasn't expecting him to start that far.
"I just missed two balls a bit wide and he put them away for two boundaries, but I was able to adjust and went a bit straighter the next over and was able to get the nick."
Earlier, Sutherland (4-54) shone with the ball as Victoria earnt one bonus point for dismissing SA within the first 100 overs, with Fergus O'Neill (3-30) and Scott Boland (2-63) also taking multiple wickets.
Play started 30 minutes early on Friday and will do so for the remainder of the five-day final after rain took away two full sessions on day one.
Victoria, runaway leaders who earnt hosting rights for the final, won Thursday's coin toss and sent South Australia in to bat.
