Bulls, Blues drawn as Sheffield Shield final awaits

Queensland will host NSW in the Marsh Sheffield Shield final next week as rain brought an early end to the final day of their clash in Wollongong, and with it a drawn result.

With Western Australia losing to Tasmania in Perth, the Bulls secured top spot with a stalemate against the Blues. The five-day final will now be played at Allan Border Field from April 15, with play to begin at 09:30am AEST each day. 

The Blues were 5-145 (Jack Edwards 15no, Baxter Holt 0no) in the second session – boasting a lead of 93 – when the rain hit, and given the match scenario as well as the ladder situation, both teams were content to call time on a clash at North Dalton Park that contained some outstanding performances if not a great deal in the way of a gripping contest.

The Bulls had hoped to race through the Blues line-up early on the final day but were largely curtailed by Matthew Gilkes and Jason Sangha – two of the top three scorers in NSW's first innings.

Playing his first match as opener, Gilkes looked right at home for his second half-century, making 66 in both digs, though he again had his share of luck. 

Dropped three times in the first innings, he was perhaps fortunate to survive an lbw decision off the bowling of leg-spinner Mitch Swepson (4-60), who continued to extract plenty from the pitch.

Swepson was eventually rewarded when he had Sangha caught at short leg by Bryce Street for 29.

Gilkes followed on the last ball before lunch, caught behind by Jimmy Peirson off the bowling of Brendan Doggett (1-32), before Swepson produced another gem of a delivery to knock over debutant Lachlan Hearne after the break to finish an excellent return from a neck injury on a high.

Don't miss The Heat Repeat on Foxtel, coming April 7. The two-part documentary will also be shown on Kayo and cricket.com.au.