Hartley hundred keeps Bulls on top

South Australia 184 and 2 for 111 (Hughes 58*) trail Queensland 398 and 8 for 248 dec (Hartley 103*, Sayers 3-66, Mennie 3-74) by 352 runs
Scorecard

A century from Chris Hartley put Queensland on the path towards victory on the third day against South Australia in Brisbane, where Phillip Hughes was again carrying the batting load for the Redbacks. At stumps, South Australia were 2 for 111 in their chase of 463, with Hughes unbeaten on 58 and Callum Ferguson on 31, and they needed something special to avoid opening their season with a defeat.

The Bulls had removed Michael Klinger for 6 and Tom Cooper for 11 after Queensland declared at 8 for 248, a total made possible by Hartley's seventh first-class hundred. His innings was especially impressive given that he came to the crease at 5 for 64, although by that stage Queensland already had a commanding lead, having declined the option of enforcing the follow-on.

Hartley finished unbeaten on 103 from 107 balls, supported in the later stages by the first-innings centurion Ben Cutting, who made 33. Chadd Sayers and Joe Mennie picked up three wickets each but it was another day that the South Australians would prefer to forget, after they began the morning by losing their last three wickets for 20 runs.

Hughes had started the day on 95 not out but didn't add to his score and was caught at slip off the bowling of James Hopes from the first over of the day. Hopes finished with 5 for 27 from his 20 overs.