The Queensland Bulls have made the perfect start to their Sheffield Shield season, claiming maximum points in their opener after bowling Victoria out in the final session to win by 66 runs in a down-to-the-wire battle at the Gabba.
FINAL SCORECARD
The Queensland Bulls have made the perfect start to their Sheffield Shield season, claiming maximum points in their opener after bowling Victoria out in the final session to win by 66 runs in a down-to-the-wire battle at the Gabba.
Rob Quiney (109) and Glenn Maxwell (32) looked to have the Bushrangers on track to reach the 301 required for victory, but Maxwell's dismissal by Steve Magoffin sparked a massive collapse and took the visitors from controlling proceedings at 3-179 to all out for 234.
Leg-spinner Cameron Boyce fulfilled his role to perfection, claiming four important tail-end wickets - including the final scalp of Ryan Carters (25) when the visitors had less than four overs left to survive.
Andrew Robinson was a deserving man of the match, notching half-centuries in each innings and becoming the first Bulls fielder in history to take seven catches in a match.
Peter Forrest was another stand-out performer for the Bulls with his second-innings century allowing the hosts the leverage to push for the outright win.
Ben Cutting had an eye-catching performance with the red ball, bowling with rhythm and aggression throughout and unsettling more than one Bushranger with his pace and bounce.
Fielding a severely depleted side, perhaps the biggest positive to take for the Bushrangers was the performance of cool-headed 20-year-old Peter Handscomb who made 71 in a resilient first innings knock.
Chasing 301 and resuming at 3-143 after tea, Maxwell looked to get going quickly, taking 14 from the first three balls of Magoffin's 14th over - including a towering hoick into the stands over square leg.
Quiney followed the lead, pumping Boyce into the same section of seating in the 42nd over.
Having quickly whittled the runs required down to 130, the Bushrangers were looking more and more likely.
The partnership reached 50 and then Quiney brought up his fifth first-class century in the next over with a cleanly-struck straight drive for four against Magoffin.
Maxwell seemed to have played himself into total confidence and comfort by the time he moved into the 30s, but in the nick of time Magoffin brought an end to the danger with an appeal for leg-before awarded.
Maxwell seemed unimpressed by the decision, but was on his way regardless and was replaced by 19-year-old prospect Alex Keath.
Magoffin made it a double breakthrough in his next over, throwing out a tempter for Quiney which was edged low, fast and safe to Robinson at second slip.
Keath became the third man to go in quick succession when he was removed by Boyce in the very next over.
On the back foot and attempting to play through the leg-side, he was cramped up and could only manage a thick edge, which was brilliantly plucked by Robinson at first slip.
Clint McKay thought he had the answer for Boyce, but after belting one massive six down the ground he was removed three balls later with yet another clean catch taken by Robinson at slip.
Peter Siddle came in and showed trademark fighting spirit to graft his way to eight before being brilliantly caught off the glove by Chris Hartley from the bowling of Cutting as he attempted to let the ball go.
Jayde Herrick tried to gut it out, but the re-introduction of Boyce proved his undoing, as he was brilliantly caught by a diving Wade Townsend at silly mid-on.
Carters and Darren Pattinson survived more than 10 pressure-filled overs but the former eventually fell edging Boyce to Robinson with only three overs remaining in the day.
