Destructive innings by usual suspects Mark Cosgrove and Darren Lehmann have piloted South Australia to a bonus point victory over Victoria in the ING Cup match at Adelaide Oval.

The win vaults the Redbacks to second spot on the table, a point clear of the Bushrangers and five points behind leaders NSW.

Speed merchant Shaun Tait earlier blasted out four Victorian batsmen and Cullen Bailey spun through three to hold the Bushrangers to 222, and SA's in-form axemen made short work of the target.

Cosgrove took only 90 balls to accumulate his 89 while man of the match Lehmann (80 from 70) excelled after a measured start to run down the extra point in masterful fashion.

"This is the way we want it to be, we don't want to rely on other teams losing or getting a bonus point, if we win we're in the final and that's the way we want to play it," Cosgrove said of SA's position with one game remaining.

"It's always good batting with Boof, he does it so lightly and takes it so easily, watching him you just know what he's going to do."

Tait's early overs had been speckled with wides but he regrouped in lively fashion to finish with 4-32, while Bailey nabbed 3-53.

Jason Gillespie did much of the groundwork for SA, pushing through 10 overs straight for 2-47.

Due to hot conditions that had bedevilled groundstaff, the match was played on a peculiar pitch, well grassed in the middle but bare at the ends.

It also began under the influential eye of national chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns, and there were early signs of nerves from Tait and Gillespie.

Both bowled wides and Gillespie was flicked nonchalantly over square leg for six by Jon Moss, but his dismissal, snicking a drive to first slip off Tait, settled the pace pair.

The batsmen became bogged down and Lloyd Mash succumbed to his impatience by hooking Gillespie straight to fine leg.

Another wicket came Gillespie's way when Michael Klinger drove uppishly to the left of Lehmann, who held a super one-hand catch.

David Hussey and White made starts but they were not allowed to settle and fell in consecutive overs.

Liam Buchanan showed little inclination to take his time, and when he miscued Bailey's leg break to gully five balls after Hussey's departure, the Bushrangers were in free-fall.

Andrew McDonald (47 including four sixes) and Adam Crosthwaite (43) mounted a minor recovery before Tait ran through the tail.

The Redbacks' openers weathered some fine new ball bowling by Mick Lewis and Gerard Denton before Shane Deitz was well caught at slip by a diving Hussey.

Cosgrove exploded with strokes right round the ground, with a dropped chance at long off from Denton when on 42 proving costly as he brought up his 50 off only 39 balls.

Blewett hung around while 65 were added, and his dismissal only succeeded in bringing Lehmann to the crease and the two left-handers toyed with the Bushrangers for 82 runs.

Cosgrove's departure set up a tilt at the extra point with heavy-hitter Graham Manou promoted for the purpose.

At one point the requirement was an awkward 44 from four, but Lehmann went to his 50 with a meaty hoick for six, and Manou provided sensible support as the point was grabbed with a ball to spare.

White was bitterly disappointed to have lost out to a title rival.

"It was a pretty shattering loss to be honest," he said.

"We bowled well in the first 10 overs but a couple of things didn't go our way and a couple of dropped catches never help."

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