The Shane Warne travelling sideshow was in the spotlight again as Victoria battled to avoid outright defeat on the third day of the Pura Cup clash with Western Australia at the WACA Ground.

In reply to WA's imposing first innings total of 3-608, the Bushrangers were dismissed for just 297, a deficit of 311, and Warriors captain Justin Langer had little hesitation putting the visitors back in.

At stumps on the third day, the Bushrangers were making a better fist of it second time around and were 1-133 in their second innings, with Lloyd Mash on 71 and David Hussey on 39. The visitors were still 178 runs in arrears.

Warne's only on-field contribution to the day was a typically audacious 13-ball 17, but he was less than pleased to find a television reporter's microphone in his face as he left the field after an injudicious shot had led to his downfall.

As Warne left the arena, a female journalist approached the champion leg-spinner and asked him about rumours he and ex-wife Simone were reuniting.

Not surprisingly, an annoyed Warne ignored the questions and the Victorian camp wasted little time firing in a complaint to the television station involved.

Warne's little brouhaha did little to improve the mood of the Victorians, who were seemingly sliding towards outright defeat at the time.

Only all-rounder Andrew McDonald offered any sustained resistance in the Victorian first innings, making a solid 85.

Pura Cup finalists last season, the Victorians were always struggling in their first innings of the new campaign after resuming the day at 4-146.

Warne soon came to the wicket and went on the attack immediately, but inevitably holed out when he charged down the wicket and spooned a catch to Voges at deep mid-off to give Heal his second scalp.

Both Heal and Marcus North were able to extract significant turn from what is a slow wicket and the former was the surprise packet.

In just his third first-class game for WA, and with just two wickets to his name at 121.50 previously, the left-arm spinner grew in confidence as he spent more time at the bowling crease and started to give the ball more air.

Given the chance to play for the Warriors because of Beau Casson's departure to New South Wales, Heal cleaned up the tail to finish with 4-48. Mash's batting late in the day revived Victoria's hopes of staving off outright defeat, the left-hander dropped on 46 but forming a timely partnership with Hussey.

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