The Queensland Bulls have closed to within one win of making the Sheffield Shield Final as they strive to create a last-to-first fairytale finish.
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Queensland revived their Sheffield Shield hopes with a thumping nine-wicket win against Tasmania that saw the Bulls rise to second on the ladder.
Set just 81 runs to win, the Bulls cruised to 1-82 in the first session of the final day at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
While much of south-east Queensland was dealing with the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, Test stalwart Usman Khawaja (33 not out) and Jack Clayton (34no) were untroubled in peeling off the last 56 runs to win on Sunday.
The victory was set up by Khawaja's first-innings 127 and Michael Neser's 6-37 and 2-59 to dismiss Tasmania for 161 and then 345 following on.
"The way 'Uzzie' (Khawaja) batted was superb, he just set that game up for us," Neser said post-play.
"We definitely wouldn't be in the position we are if our batters didn't do what they did day one.
"It's a massive game in Adelaide (next round). It's going to be tough there, we know it can get flat at times … so hopefully we can carry that momentum through (from this win)."
The victory lifts the Queenslanders from fifth spot to second on the Shield table and will see them shed the wooden-spoon they landed last season.
SA top the table on 51.76 and will host the Shield Final later this month.
Queensland is next-best with 36.8, followed by NSW (35.39), WA (34.43), Victoria (32.49) and Tasmania (27.61).
Queensland take on SA at Karen Rolton Oval from Saturday in the final round of the competition.