Belligerent Bulls hold fast to deny NSW

Queensland have comfortably batted out the final day of the Sheffield Shield match against NSW at the SCG for a dour draw despite being forced to follow on.

Scoring at just 2.5 runs-an-over, Queensland reached 434 before being bowled out midway through the afternoon session, 159 runs in arrears of NSW's 6(dec)-603.

The Blues never looked like running though the Queensland batting late on Monday and the match was called off early with the visitors 1-123.

NSW offspinner Will Somerville took career-best figures of 8-136 from a marathon spell of 58.5 overs in the first innings, but only two of those victims were on the final day.

The most notable contribution to the day's play was an unlikely 113-run partnership for the ninth wicket between wicketkeeper Chris Hartley and tailender Mark Steketee.

The pair batted throughout the morning session with Hartley ending on 86 not out and No.10 Steketee scoring a career-best 53.

Queensland's Joe Burns profited in the second innings with the one-time Test batsman helping himself to 88 not out against a tired attack.

The match ended in somewhat ignominious fashion with Blues batsman Ed Cowan - who has never taken a wicket in a 14-year first-class career - going for 16 runs off his lone over bowling leg-spin.

NSW XI: Daniel Hughes, Nick Larkin, Ed Cowan, Kurtis Patterson, Moises Henriques, Peter Nevill, Arjun Nair, Trent Copeland, Sean Abbott, Will Somerville, Doug Bollinger

Queensland XI: Joe Burns, Peter Forrest, Marnus Labuschagne, Seam Heazlett, Sam Truloff, Jack Wildermuth, Chris Hartley, Michael Neser, Jason Floros, Mark Steketee, Peter George