Twin tons hand NSW the advantage

Test hopefuls Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja survived a challenging period under lights to guide Queensland to 1-39 at stumps in reply to the Blues' 7-327 declared on day one of their Sheffield Shield clash at the Gabba.

Josh Hazlewood struck late for New South Wales - knocking over Bulls opener Charlie Hemphrey for a duck - with Burns (21no) and Khawaja (18) impressive in keeping out the best the Blues attack had to offer.

The day belonged to Blues captain Steve Smith (117) and young middle-order batsman Kurtis Patterson (111), who wrested the initiative early on and batted into the third session, sharing a chanceless 228-run stand before the pink ball and an impressive Luke Feldman (5-68) combined to orchestrate a collapse of 5-24.

Mitchell Starc then hammered a quick-fire 36no from 28 balls as he and Ryan Carters (27no from 29) took the visitors to a position where Smith was prepared to call the innings closed. 

He then unleashed Test new-ball pair Mitchell Starc and Hazlewood, the latter snaring the early wicket of Charlie Hemphrey (0) to bring Burns and Khawaja together in the middle. 

Earlier, Queensland captain Khawaja won the toss and raised some eyebrows in electing to bowl first, but his new-ball pair of Feldman and Peter George made early inroads. 

Test opener David Warner (12) was first to go, slashing wildly at a length delivery outside off stump from George and edging through to Peter Forrest in the slips.

Warner – who spent some time on the turf after being struck in the box by an errant throw in the field – has had little first-class preparation ahead of the first Test against the Proteas, beginning next Thursday November 3.

Former Test batsman Ed Cowan also fell cheaply, opting to leave a delivery from Feldman that straightened and crashed into his off stump to send him on his way for 10 and leave the Blues in some trouble at 2-23.  

Cowan's dismissal brought together Australia captain Smith and in-form left-hander Patterson, and after a period of consolidation, the two upped the ante as the session wore on.

Young Bulls leg-spinner Mitch Swepson was presented with arguably the most difficult challenge for any spinner in the country – the prospect of Smith on a day one Gabba wicket – but handled the challenge impressively.

Smith used his feet adroitly and found boundaries through wide mid-on and fine third man off the spinner, while at the other end, Patterson unfurled a couple of attractive cover drives and pulls to keep the scoreboard ticking over at a steady rate.

They moved through the second session largely untroubled, going shot for shot, with Patterson particularly strong through cover and in the 'V', and Smith keeping Khawaja thinking with his usual array of both orthodox and unorthodox strokeplay.

The right-hander joined Patterson on three figures shortly after the dinner break, but Smith was first to go when he chopped on attempting to lift Feldman over cover. 

His wicket triggered a sudden collapse, with the old pink ball showing appreciable movement under the lights and undoing Moises Henriques (11), Peter Nevill (1) and Trent Copeland first ball to breathe life back into the contest.

Queensland: Joe Burns, Charlie Hemphrey, Usman Khawaja (capt), Marnus Labuschagne, Peter Forrest, Jason Floros, Chris Hartley, Michael Neser, Mitch Swepson, Luke Feldman, Peter George. 12th man: Ben Cutting.

NSW: David Warner, Ed Cowan, Steve Smith (capt), Kurtis Patterson, Moises Henriques, Ryan Carters, Peter Nevill, Trent Copeland, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood. 12th man: Ryan Gibson.