Bulls hurt by Cosgrove ton and Harris injury

South Australia 4 for 300 (Harris 117, Cosgrove 103*) v Queensland
Scorecard

Centuries to Daniel Harris and Mark Cosgrove compounded a miserable opening day for Queensland, who lost their strike bowler Ryan Harris for what could be the rest of the Sheffield Shield season. The Bulls also had an injury cloud over Andrew Symonds, who left the ground with knee soreness, although he is expected to take the field on the second day.

It all combined to make it an encouraging day for South Australia, who closed at 4 for 300 with Cogsrove on 103 and Graham Manou on 18. The pair had combined for a 53-run stand after the earlier strong efforts of the opener Daniel Harris, who struck 117 from 228 balls, which was his first century in a consistent season.

Cosgrove's hundred was also his first for the season, as he had not been picked in any Sheffield Shield matches until now. The most recent South Australia batsman to play for Australia, until Callum Ferguson made his debut this summer, Cosgrove struck 17 fours and a six and gave the Redbacks selectors food for thought at the tail-end of a campaign in which they sit last on the table.

Queensland are second and have a strong chance of making the final, although the loss of Ryan Harris for four weeks with a fractured foot is a major problem. Harris is not only the Bulls' leading wicket-taker this season with 33 at 26.48, he is also second in the competition overall.

He was one of four Queensland bowlers to pick up a wicket each on the first day, when Symonds also made a promising start by removing Michael Klinger in his second over. But Symonds reported soreness in his right knee, which he had surgery on six weeks ago, and left the field to ice the joint as a precaution.