A run of cheap wickets meant South Australia missed the opportunity to claim outright victory over Victoria in the Pura Cup cricket match at Adelaide Oval today.

The Redbacks fell just 30 short of the 209-run target when they finished at 5-179 in their second innings.

Ben Higgins scored his fourth half century in four first-class matches to help SA hold out for a draw and remained unbeaten on 58.

The home side took two first innings points after declaring at 7-337 in reply to Victoria's 334.

SA had 56 overs in which to reach the target after the Bushrangers declared their second innings at 7-211.

Captain Darren Lehmann said the match was a missed chance for the South Australians to start the season with a win.

"You don't get too many opportunities to chase down a total against a quality side and that total we probably should have got," he said.

"We just lost wickets at the wrong time."

Victorian swing bowler Damien Fleming bowled well as SA began its chase and finished with 3-37 from 16 overs.

Fleming struck in his fourth over and the seventh of the innings when he had David Fitzgerald (11) caught by Jason Arnberger at short leg.

The dismissal brought Greg Blewett to the crease hoping to build on his unbeaten 169 in the first innings.

But four runs later, the SA vice-captain spooned a Fleming delivery to Paul Reiffel at mid off to put the home side at 2-34.

Shane Deitz (15) was out on the last ball before tea when he advanced to Colin Miller and was caught out of his ground as wicketkeeper Darren Berry threw down the stumps.

After making his debut against his former state as the third victim in Ian Harvey's hat-trick yesterday, Darren Dempsey was off the mark with a cut shot for four off the second ball he faced from Fleming.

But a short time later he was headed back to the changerooms after being trapped lbw by Shane Warne for 10.

Higgins and Lehmann looked like reaching the target, settling into a 75-run partnership.

But a spectacular catch to Matthew Mott, who launched himself into the air to pull down the ball in two hands backward of point sent Lehmann out for 39.

When Jason Gillespie joined Higgins, the pair needed 85 runs from 82 balls. Gillespie was the other not out batsman on 32.

After the visitors resumed at 1-88 in their second innings, the Redbacks claimed five wickets in the morning session.

Test paceman Gillespie took 3-36 from 20 overs, while Lehmann claimed two.

© 2001 AAP