Victoria and Queensland have played out a draw in the Sheffield Shield match in Melbourne after the home side declined to pursue a run chase.

Victoria coach Chris Rogers has defended his side's decision not to chase a final-session Sheffield Shield victory target against Queensland at Junction Oval.

Despite boasting the big-hitting Nic Maddinson in their line-up, the Vics showed little intent from the outset of their innings at Junction Oval.

They rarely scored at more than two runs an over after being set 236 to win off a minimum 45 overs.

The home side eventually reached 3-104 off 48 overs, with Maddison (48) and Matt Short (31) the unbeaten pair.

Queensland had declared during the afternoon at 7-246 after captain Jimmy Peirson led his side from trouble with 76.

The Bulls commenced the day with a slim 58-run lead and three wickets down, but Peirson and James Bazley - who contributed a rapid fire 42 not out - quelled Victoria's early hopes.

"We had every intention of trying to chase, but just got into a little bit of a hole against the new ball," Rogers said.

Victoria took 18 overs to reach 33 when the third wicket fell.

"It was always going to be tough against the spin on that kind of wearing wicket with the footmarks.

"With one of our best players out there in Nic Maddinson, he felt that it was going to be too hard to try and chase, and we supported that decision."

Maddinson, who is on stand-by for the Pakistan tour, was the top-scorer in the match having also hit an impressive unbeaten 110 in the first innings.

"Day one we didn't score the runs we needed to, and that was where we were behind the eight-ball," Peirson said.

"It (the pitch) was flat, it took spin from one end, but quite good batting conditions (when we batted)."

Victoria were 1-9, and then 2-18, for the loss of Travis Dean (1) and Peter Handscomb (3).

The recent good form for Marcus Harris ahead of Australia's tour of Pakistan came to a halt when he was lbw to the part-time spin of Matt Renshaw for 21.

Harris had posted two Shield half-centuries and a one-day cup century for Victoria over the past week.

There was little joy for the other Australian squad members with leg-spinner Mitch Swepson (0-51) unable to breakthrough for the Bulls across 18 overs, while Victoria's Scott Boland earlier returned 0-43 from 13 overs.