Labuschagne, Clayton, McDermott guide Queensland home
Labuschagne overcame back soreness to make patient 45 before Clayton's unbeaten half-century and McDermott's unbeaten 46 saw Queensland home against South Australia
AAP and ESPNCricinfo staff
18-Feb-2024
Marnus Labuschagne drives • Getty Images
Queensland 159 & 206 for 3 (Clayton 54*, McDermott 46*, Labuschagne 45) beat South Australia 132 and 232 (Carey 90, Lehmann 58, Steketee 3-39, Neser 3-51) by seven wickets
Assured innings from Marnus Labuschagne, Jack Clayton and Ben McDermott helped guide Queensland to a seven-wicket win over South Australia that keeps alive faint hopes of a berth in the Sheffield Shield final.
The Bulls defied two days of play dominated by the ball - and some batting struggles of their own in recent matches - to ease to South Australia's target of 206 with seven wickets to spare at the Adelaide Oval.
Labuschagne (45), Jack Clayton (54 not out) and Ben McDermott (46 not out) played contrasting innings, McDermott's a breezy cameo to see the visitors home after Labuschagne batted with supreme patience earlier in the day.
It was only the second win from eight Shield matches for Queensland this season, but it was enough to mathematically keep them in the hunt for a top-two finish with two games still to play.
The Redbacks had lost 5 for 18 on Saturday after putting themselves in a dominant position following paltry first-innings totals from both teams.
Alex Carey's 90 at least gave them 205 to defend, and when Matthew Renshaw popped his pull shot straight into the air early on day three the hosts were right in the mix.
But second-gamer Angus Lovell (35) and Labuschagne steadied before the Test No.3 broke the shackles with three boundaries and a six over mid-off inside two overs. He did battle some back tightness, receiving treatment from Bulls physio Martin Love
He, like Lovell, fell attempting a pull shot, but the Bulls still cruised to victory a dozen overs after the tea break.