Queensland has chased down the 260 they needed to claim outright victory over South Australia deep into the last day of the Bupa Sheffield Shield clash at Adelaide Oval on Monday.
Queensland has chased down the 260 they needed to claim outright victory over South Australia deep into the last day of the Bupa Sheffield Shield clash at Adelaide Oval on Monday.
Led by a half-century from Joe Burns the Bulls reeled in the total with two overs to spare to finish at 6-260 as they recorded their fifth consecutive Shield victory this summer.
Burns (79) formed solid 70 and 69-run partnerships with Peter Forrest (37) and Chris Lynn (39) respectively to ensure the Bulls remained on track for maximum points.
Redbacks bowlers Dan Christian, Peter George and Cullen Bailey did their best to stifle the Queensland batsmen after tea but failed to fully close out the Queenslanders late in the game.
Christian finished with 3-67 from 20 overs while George had 2-45 from 12.3 and Bailey 1-61 from 13.
The loss leaves the Redbacks winless in the Shield competition and on a two-match losing streak as they remain at the foot of the table.
Queensland's win was set up earlier in the day courtesy of leg-spinner Cameron Boyce's five-wicket haul.
The Redbacks were in a commanding position after lunch thanks to half-centuries and a 99-run partnership to Callum Ferguson (62) and wicketkeeper Adam Crosthwaite (54).
The duo were in blistering form reaching their milestones swiftly through a series of fours and sixes.
However Boyce eventually got the breakthrough claiming the scalp of Crosthwaite and igniting a four-wicket collapse for only 15 runs that saw Redbacks captain Michael Klinger to declare at 9-260 in an attempt to salvage victory.
The Bulls came in to bat shortly after lunch and unlike their defensive and patient first innings approach, wasted no time in finding early funs.
Captain James Hopes, batting in an unfamiliar opening role, kick-started the second innings for Queensland.
Three consecutive boundaries off the bowling of Redbacks paceman Jake Haberfield in the fifth over was a particular highlight.
Hopes added a further four before lasting only another three overs when his quick-fire innings came to an end after driving the ball in the air to Ferguson at mid-on off Christian.
After an unbeaten 166 on Sunday, Bulls opener Wade Townsend struggled to build on his first innings effort and was caught out fifteen minutes from tea when he edged a slower Christian ball to second slip for 21 runs.
Despite the Bulls remaining firm at the crease through Burns and Forrest's partnership, Redbacks all-rounder Christian and spinner Bailey created a few nervy moments for the pair.
Christian and Bailey dried up Queensland's run rate bringing it just below three an over, with Bailey in particular having a number of appeals turned down.
Bailey's effort with the ball was finally rewarded when he caught and bowled Forrest with a juggling catch, ending the 26-year-old's innings that included four boundaries and two sixes.
Despite the vital wicket, the Redbacks could not find a way back into the match as Burns reached his half-century in the 42nd over of the day and began building another partnership.
Lynn added three fours and a six to quickly start his innings before Burns was finally dismissed at 4-214 after his pull shot took a bottom edge onto his stumps from George's bouncer.
George then got his second wicket shortly after, bowling Lynn who missed the delivery with a big swing.
Bulls wicketkeeper Chris Hartley (31) smashed four late boundaries before he edged a cut shot through to Crosthwaite attempting to hit the winning runs, leaving Ryan Broad (5 not out) and Michael Neser (1 not out) to see out the four-wicket victory.
