The scorecard for the drawn Sheffield Shield clash between Victoria and South Australia should make for interesting reading for national selectors even without any action on the final day at the MCG.
Peter Handscomb, James Pattinson and Scott Boland were key contributors in Victoria's bid for a third outright victory in a row, which was denied by the heavy rain that swept across Melbourne on Tuesday.
The home side needed just 102 runs with eight wickets in hand but play was abandoned without a ball bowled.
The Vics can consider themselves unfortunate not to extract maximum points from a contest where they largely out-played their opponents.
"It's frustrating but that's what can happen," Handscomb told AAP.
The biggest take-away from a national perspective was the continued good form of Handscomb, who pushed his case for a Test recall against India next month with a brilliant first-innings century.
The right-hander, having scored four one-day cup half-centuries in a row, dug in and batted with poise and determination to make 123 with the match delicately balanced on day two.
"I'm feeling good mentally and physically," he said.
"But it's a funny game ... you can go from highs to lows in cricket pretty quickly so I'm just enjoying it.
SA skipper Jake Lehmann won the toss, but his side was bowled out for 244 on day one - losing 6-13 at one stage - despite a fighting 118 by Tom Cooper.
Boland, who last appeared in the ODI team in 2016, gave his chances of a return a boost with a blistering spell to finish with figures of 7-54.
He ended the match with nine wickets to lead all Shield bowlers with 24 after three matches.
The home side made 351 in reply to lead by 107 runs, with Handscomb's knock a highlight.
After his unbeaten 250 last week against NSW, Test hopeful Marcus Harris made it to 315 runs without dismissal, before he was out for 65.
Opener Conor McInerney (63) top-scored in the Redbacks' second innings total of 230, but Pattinson was the star of the show.
In his first Shield game since the 2016-17 final and major back surgery last November, the quick ripped through the top order - dispatching Callum Ferguson, Tom Cooper and Lehmann - to finish with figures of 3-24 in an encouraging return.
Victoria were 2-22 at stumps on day three before they were denied by the weather.
"If I'm being honest Victoria probably played three days of better cricket and we're lucky that it rained today," Lehmann said.
"For us it's probably a bit of a get out of jail but it keeps the competition open."
Despite the result, Victoria remain almost 10 points clear on top of the Shield table, while SA is fourth after three draws from three matches.
Australian Associated Press
