Bichel takes Queensland to victory

Queensland 316 & 279 beat South Australia 150 & 392 (Ferguson 93, Manou 81, Tait 58, Bichel 5-73) by 53 runs
Scorecard

South Australia's middle and lower-order batsmen waged a terrific rearguard action, but ultimately they couldn't thwart Queensland who took home all six points with a hard-fought 53-run victory at the Adelaide Oval.

Needing 446 for an improbable triumph, South Australia had started the day in dire straits at 5 for 138, but a superb 93 from the 19-year-old Callum Ferguson and significant contributions from Graeme Manou and Shaun Tait raised visions of an upset before Andy Bichel - who took 5 for 73 and finished with nine in the match - returned to mop up the resistance.

The South Australian revival gained impetus in an extended morning session where they added 205 runs in 40 overs. Ferguson, playing only his second match, added 127 in just 28 overs with Manou before Ashley Noffke had Manou caught behind for 81. But with Mark Cleary contributing a doughty 26, Ferguson took the score to 294 before Shane Watson, bowling his first over of the day, struck two match-winning blows.

Cleary lofted a catch to Bichel at mid-off, and three balls later, Ferguson was taken by Jimmy Maher, the Queensland captain, at midwicket. But even then, South Australia refused to run up the white flag, with Shaun Tait coming in and smashing four sixes off Nathan Hauritz on his way to a 57-ball 58.

At 8 for 361, there was still hope, but Bichel - later named Man of the Match - accounted for both Daniel Cullen and Tait to continue his remarkable wicket-taking run at the Adelaide Oval.