Queensland clean up Vics for crucial Shield win
Shayne Hope |
Queensland have taken an important step towards a spot in the Sheffield Shield final after beating table-topping Victoria by 36 runs at the MCG.
Chasing 242 to win a topsy-turvy contest, Victoria resumed at 6-150 on Sunday’s final day and were bowled out for 205 before lunch.
First-class debutant Dylan Brasher, who had threatened to drag the home side over the line, was the last man out after his defiant half-century.
Brasher made 72 before he was dismissed by Queensland seamer Tom Straker (4-32), who also cleaned up Victoria’s top order with the first three wickets of the innings on day three.
Former Test leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson (3-55) claimed two of the four wickets on Sunday, with Test quick Michael Neser (1-51) also snaring one.
Right-arm quick Jem Ryan took 2-33 for match figures of 3-54 on his first-class debut.
Queensland opener Hugo Burdon was named player-of-the-match after scoring 43 runs in both innings.
The rollercoaster contest began in unusual fashion, when 17 wickets fell on day one.
It brought more heat on MCG officials and head curator Matt Page, following the excessively bowler-friendly conditions that led to the Boxing Day Test debacle.
That match ended inside two days and cost Cricket Australia more than $10 million in lost revenue.
But the Shield contest did not follow the same pattern, with a more even contest playing out between bat and ball after day one.
Queensland’s win lifts the second-placed Bulls to 33.38 points on the Shield table, behind leaders Victoria on 42.17.
AAP
