Victoria challenged by Bichel and Perren

Victoria 165 (Hussey 57, Bichel 7-54) and 0 for 2 trail Queensland 119 and 269 (Perren 99, Noffke 53, McKay 4-42) by 221 runs
Scorecard

Clinton Perren's 99 and Andy Bichel's 7 for 54 kept Queensland in the game as Victoria were set 224 to win on a dramatic day at Brisbane. The Bushrangers, who need a victory to reach the Pura Cup final, were 0 for 2 at stumps having let the Bulls off the hook to reach 269.

Perren compiled important partnerships with Chris Hartley and Ashley Noffke after a bad start left the team 4 for 28. Perren missed his second century of the season by one run but Noffke continued to trouble Victoria, passing fifty for the second time against them in 2006-07.

Noffke was the last man out, for 53, and his timing gave Victoria one tricky over to face before stumps. They took no chances, opening with a night-watchman, their first-innings No. 11 Dirk Nannes, who survived all six balls from Bichel.

Bichel had starred in a hectic morning session, destroying Victoria for 165 and earning his best figures for Queensland. The visitors lost 5 for 25 in 14 overs before the Bulls also struggled and were four-down at lunch.

Clinton McKay, who claimed only one victim from his first two matches, was on a hat-trick in the sixth over when he had Jimmy Maher and Greg Moller caught in the slips. McKay did not get three in a row but next over added Ryan Broad, snared at bat-pad, and finished with 4 for 42.