Lehmann's fighting fifty saves Redbacks as draw looms

A hard-hitting counter-attacking half century from Jake Lehmann has kept South Australia in their shortened Marsh Sheffield Shield clash against Queensland at the Gabba.

The left-hander was unbeaten on 76 at stumps on day three – which was only the second day of action after the first was abandoned due to flooding in Brisbane – almost single-handedly rescuing the visitors from a perilous 4-52 just after lunch.

Wicketkeeper Harry Nielsen was also not out 15 at the close of play with South Australia 5-185 in their first innings, with a draw looming as a likely result on day four unless the Redbacks opt to declare behind.

Lehmann joined Daniel Drew after the visitors lost four early wickets, and together they steadied the ship as they got South Australia back into the contest with a 103-run fifth-wicket stand.

Lehmann, who was recalled to the SA side with Travis Head and Alex Carey away in Pakistan with the Australian Test team, was especially powerful straight down the ground, slapping James Bazley past long-off in the 41st over before following it up with a firmly struck pull shot the next delivery.

He brought up his fifty with another powerfully hit straight drive off Bartlett two overs later and will resume the final day 24 runs short of his eighth first-class century.

Drew fell inside the last hour of play for 37, just as SA passed the follow-on target, with Gurinder Sandhu (2-48) drawing the edge behind before he resorted to bowling off-spin in the last 20 minutes before stumps with the Bulls five overs behind the rate.

Earlier, Queensland resumed day three on 4-158 and the hosts put the foot down immediately with Max Bryant swinging hard from the outset.

The right-hander – who was recalled to the side in the absence of the Bulls four Test squad members Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Mark Steketee and Mitch Swepson – crunched four boundaries in his 31-ball 21 before he skied a hook shot to fine-leg off David Grant (1-65).

His dismissal brought skipper Jimmy Peirson to the crease who belted both Liam Scott (2-67) and Nathan McAndrew to the fence from consecutive deliveries as he rocketed to his 15th first-class half-century off just 32 balls.

The wicketkeeper-batter smashed eight fours in his 45-ball 65 before he was also undone on the pull short, caught at deep backward square leg off McAndrew (2-62).

But his rapid innings also got second-gamer Jack Clayton going, who was circumspect the previous day, resuming day three on 31 from 84 balls.

Clayton only hit one boundary on the opening day's play but opened the shoulders with six on day three. He was out for 85 (164) only three runs after Peirson departed, but the damage was done as Queensland declared 8-305 after facing 100 overs not long after.

It's been a stellar start to the 23-year-old left-hander's first-class career as he backed up his 109 in his Sheffield Shield debut last week against Victoria.

Former Queensland paceman Brendan Doggett was the pick of the Redbacks bowlers with 2-59.

The declaration left South Australia with a tricky 20 minutes to navigate before lunch and it couldn't have started any worse with new acting captain Henry Hunt departing for a golden duck as Sam Truloff nabbed a sharp chance at third slip off Sandhu.

After lunch they lost Jake Weatherald (24) and Nathan McSweeney (1) off consecutive deliveries from Xavier Bartlett and Jack Wildermuth (2-46), as the visitor's first innings got the wobbles at 4-52.