Queensland holds the upper hand in its Pura Cup cricket match at the MCG after a day when Victoria's fast-bowling injury curse struck again.

Victoria was none for six in its second innings at stumps on day three, with Nick Jewell and Lloyd Mash on two apiece, needing another 307 on the last day for the outright win.

Queensland would have been happy with a victory target of more than 250 and declared at 9-293 after a potentially-crucial last-wicket stand of 38 from Chris Hartley (29) and No.11 Daniel Doran (24).

Victoria will have to score the biggest total of the game to win, on a pitch that is doing the batsmen no favours.

"It's going to be hard work on this pitch, you'd have to say we're the underdogs," captain Cameron White said.

"The wicket is still playing okay, it's just very hard to score on, but we've got all day and 10 wickets in hand.

"If we bat well, we're in with a chance."

Adding to a frustrating day, in-form paceman Gerard Denton is out of action for a fortnight after suffering the recurrence of a lower-leg injury.

Denton bowled three overs this morning and then left the field during the first drinks break.

He will have scans on his left leg for a soft-tissue problem just above the ankle that also happened during the pre-season.

While Denton has struggled with injuries during his first-class career, he took a match-winning 6-31 last month against South Australia and snared 6-62 in the Queensland first innings, plus another wicket late Saturday.

The Victorian pace bowling spots so far this season are like a revolving door - just as Shane Harwood was ready to return from a side-muscle injury he suffered last month, Mick Lewis was sidelined with a thigh muscle problem and now Denton must rest.

Queensland resumed at 1-51 this morning and cruised to 133 before another batting collapse - a theme of this match.

Jonathan Moss trapped opener Lachlan Stevens lbw for 61 and had Martin Love caught behind for a top score of 63 in the following over.

Andrew Symonds then played a poor shot with lunch only minutes away and Queensland went to the break at 4-145.

Some patient batting through the middle session took Queensland to 5-215 at tea, with the only wicket coming from a sharp piece of fielding from substitute Tom Stray that had Clinton Perren run out for 22.

Victoria then stopped Queensland's momentum with 4-40 to start the final session.

Harwood dismissed James Hopes (46) and Andy Bichel (four), while Andrew McDonald bowled first-innings hero Ashley Noffke for a duck and Jonathan Moss (3-52) bowled Mitchell Johnson for 13.

Victoria then struck late-order resistance for the second time in this match as Hartley and Doran scored valuable runs.

Queensland declared immediately after scoring 17 off an over from White, featuring two sixes by Doran.

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